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A
VOYAGE
TO THE
PACIFIC OCEAN.
UNDERTAKEN,
'BY THE COMMAND OF HIS MAJESTY,
FOR MAKING
Difcoveries in the Northern Hemiiphere.
Performed under the Direftion of Captains COOK, CLERK E, and GORE,
In His Majefly’s Ships the Refolution and Difcovery ; in the Years 1776, 1777, 1778, I779j and 1780.
IN THREE VOLUMES.
VOL. 1. and II. written by Captain JAMES COOK, F. R. S.
VOL. HI. by Captain JAMES KING, LL.D. and F.R. S.
Publifhed by Order of the Lords Commiffioners of the Admiralty.
THE SECOND EDITION.
VOL. I.
LONDON:
PRINTED BY H. HUGHS,
FOR G. NICOL, BOOKSELLER TO HIS MAJESTY, IN THE STRAND;
AND T. CADELL, IN THE STRAND.
M.pCC.LX^tX V.
J
\
VD
I HI8TORIOAU.
' MEDICAL
CONTENTS
OF THE
FIRST VOLUME.
Introduction. Page i
Infer ipt ion to the Memory of Captain James Cook. Ixxxvii
Liji of the Plates. xci
BOOK I.
TRANSACTIONS FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE VOYAGE TILL
OUR DEPARTURE FROM NEW ZEALAND.
CHAP. I.
T/’ARIOUS Preparations for the Voyage, — Omai^s Behavi-
^ our on embarking, — Obfervations for determining the
Longitude of Sheernefs^ and the North Foreland, — Paffage
of the Refolution from Deptford to Plymouth, — Employments
there, — Complements of the Crews of both Jhips, and Names
of the Officers, — Obfervations to fix the Longitude of Ply-
mouth,— Departure of the Refolution, Page i
VoL. I.
CHAP.
CONTENTS.
CHAP. II.
Pajfage of the Refolution to Teneriffe, — Reception there. —
Defcription of Santa Cruz Road. — Refrejhments to be
met with. — Obfervations for fixing the Longitude of 'Lene-
riffe. — Some Account of the Ifiand. — Botanical Obferva-
tions. — Cities of Santa Cruz and Laguna. — Agriculture. —
Air and Climate. — Commerce. — Inhabitants. 14.
CHAP. III.
departure from L’eneriffe. — Danger of the Ship near Bona-
vifia. — Ifie of Mayo. — Port Praya. — Precautions againjl
the Rain and fultry Weather in the neighbourhood of the
Equator. — Pofition of the Coaft of Brazil. — Arrival at the
Cape of Good Hope. — Tranfadlions there. — JunBion of the
Difcovery. — Mr. Anderfon’s Journey up the Country. —
Afironomical Obfervations. — Nautical Remarks on the Paf-
fage from England to the Cape, with regard to the Cur-
rents and the Variation. suy
CHAP. IV.
Ihe two Ships leave the Cape of Good Hope. — Lwo Ifiands^
named Prince Edwardls, feen, and their Appearance de-
fer i bed. — Kerguelen's Land vifited.- — Arrival in Chrifimas
Harbour. — Occurrences there. — Defcription of it. 51
C H A P. V.
Departure from Chrifimas Harbour. — Range along the Coafi,
to difeover its Pofition and Extent .-^Several Promontories
and
CONTENTS.
and Bays, and a Beninfula, defcribed and named. — T>an~
ger from Shoals. — Another Harbour and a Sound. — Mr.
Anderjon's Obfervations on the natural ProduBions, Ani-
mals, Soil, &c. of Kerguelen^ s Land. 70
C H A P. VI.
Paffage from Kerguelen's to Van Diemen's Land. — Arrival
in Adventure Bay. — Incidents there. — Interviews with the
Natives. — L’heir Perfons and Drefs defcribed. — Account of
their Behaviour. — Table of the Longitude, Latitude, and
Variation. — Mr. Anderfon's Obfervations on the natural
ProduBions of the Country, on the Inhabitants, and their
Language. 91
CHAP. VII.
The Paffage from Van Diemen's Land to New Zealand.
— Employments in Slueen Charlotte's Sound. — TranfaBions
with the Natives there. — Intelligence about the Majfacre
of the Adventure's Boat's Crew. — Account of the Chief
who headed the Party on that Occajion. — Of the two
young Men who embark to attend Omai. — Various Re-
marks on the Inhabitants. — Aflrono^nical and Nautical Ob-
fervations. 1 18
CHAP. VIII.
Mr. Anderfon's Remarks on the Country near ^een Char-
lotte's Sound. — The Soil. — Climate. — Weather. — Winds. —
Trees. — Plants. — Birds. — Fijh. — Other Animals. — Of the
Inhabitants. — Defcription of their Per [fins. — Their Drefs. —
Ornaments. — Habitations. — Boats. — Food and Cookery. —
Arts. — Weapons. — Cruelty to Prifoners. — Various Cujioms.
— Specimen of their Language. 145
A 2
BOOK
CONTENTS.
BOOK II.
FROM LEAVING NEW ZEALAND, TO OUR ARRIVAL AT OTA-
HEITE, OR THE SOCIETY ISLANDS.
CHAP. I.
Profecution of the Voyage. — Behaviour of the two New Zea-
landers on board. — Unfavourable winds. — An IJland called
Mangeea dif covered. — T^he Coajl of it examined. — I’ranf ac-
tions with the Natives. — An Account of their Perfonsy
Drefs^ and Canoe. — Defcription of the IJland. — A Specimen
of the Language. — Difpojition of the Inhabitants. 167
CHAP. II.
'The Lifcovery of an IJland called Wateeoo. — Its Coajls exa-
mined.— Vijits from the Natives on board the Ships. — Mejf.
^ Gorey Burney, and Anderfon, with Omai, fent on Shore. —
Mr. Anderfon's Narrative of their Reception. — Omai’s Ex-
pedient to prevent their being detained. — His meeting with
fame of his Countrymen, and their dijlrefsful Voyage. — Far-
ther Account of Wateeoo, and of its Inhabitants. 180
CHAP. III.
Wenooa-ette, or Otakootaia, vijited. — Account of that IJland,
and of its Produce. — Hervefs IJland, or Terougge mou
Attooa, found to be inhabited. — TranfaBions with the Na-
tives.-^I’heir Perfons, Drejs, Language, Canoes. — Fruit-
Ms
CO NTENTS.
lefs Attempt to land there. — Reafons for bearing away for
the Friendly IJlands. — Palmerjion's IJland touched at. — De^
fcription of the two Places where the Boats landed. — Re-
frejhments obtained there. — ConjeBures on the Formation
of fuch low IJlands. — Arrival at the Friendly IJlands. 205
' CHAP. IV.
Intercourfe with the Natives of Komango, and other IJlands,
— Arrival at Annamooka. — Franfadlions there. — Feenou,
a principal Chief from 'Tongataboo, comes on a Vijit. — Jhe
Manner of bis Reception in the IJland^ and on board. — In-
fiances of the pilfering Difpojition of the Natives. — Some Ac-
count of Annamooka. — fhe Pajfage from it to Hapaee. 225,
CHAP. V.
Arrival of the Ships at Hapaee^ and friendly Reception there,
— Prefents and Solemnities on the Occajion. — Single Com-
bats with Clubs. — Wrejiling and Boxing Matches. — Female
Combatants. — Marines exercifed. — A Dance performed by
Men. — Fireworks exhibited. — Jhe Night-entertainments of
Singing and Dancing particularly defer ibed. 242
CHAP. VI.
Defeription of Lefooga. — Its cultivated State. — Its Extent. —
T’ranfadiions there. — A Female Oculift. — Singular Expedi-
ents for Jhaving off the Hair. — I’he Ships change their Sta-
tion.— A remarkable Mount and Stone. — Defeription of
Hoolaiva. — Account of Poulabo^ King of the Friendly IJlands.
— Refpediful Manner in which he is treated by his People, — ■
Departure
CONTENTS.
Departure from the Hapaee IJlands. — Some Account of Ko^
too, — Return of the Ships to Annamooka, — Poulaho and
Feenou meet. — Arrival at Tongataboo. 256
CHAP. VII.
Friendly Reception at Fongatahoo. — Manner of difir ibuting a
baked Hog and Kava to Poulaho' s Attendants. — The Obfer-
vatorjy ^c. ereSled. — The Village where the Chiefs refide^.
and the adjoining Country.^ defcribed. — Interviews with
Mareewagee, and Toobou^ and the King's Son. — A grand
Haiva^ or Entertainment of Songs and Dances^ given by
Mareezvagee. — Exhibition of Fireworks .—r Manner of Wrejl-
ling and Boxing. — Dijiribution of the Cattle. — Thefts com-
mitted by the Natives. — Poulaho^ and the other Chiefs.^ con-
fined on that Account. — Poulahd’s Prefent^ and Haiva. 278
CHAP. VIII.
Some of the Officers plundered by the Natives. — A fijhing
Party. — A Vifit to Poulaho. — A Fiatooka defcribed. — Ob-
fervations on the Country Entertainment at Poulaho' s Houfe.
— His Mourning Ceremony. — Of the Kava Plants and the
Manner of preparing the Liquor. — Account of Onevy^ a
little IJland. — One of the Natives zvounded by a Sentinel. —
Meffirs. King and Anderfon vifit the King's Brother. — Their
Entertainment. — Another Mourning Ceremony. — Manner
of paffiuig the Night. — Remarks on the Country they paffied
through. — Preparatiotis made for failing. — An Eclipfe of
the Sun^ imperfeSlly obferved. — Mr. Anderfon's Account of
the Ifiandy and its Productions. 309
CHAP.
L „
CONTENTS.
CHAP. IX.
A grand Solemnity called Natche, in Honour of the King's
Son, performed. — ^he ProceJJions and other Ceremonies,
during the JirJi Day, defcribed. — P’he Manner of pajjing the
Night at the King's Houfe. — Continuation of the Solemnity,
the next Day. — ConjeBures about the Nature of it. — Depar-
ture from Tongataboo, and Arrival at Eooa. — Account of
that IJland, and ‘TranfaSiions there. 336
CHAP. X.
Advantages derived from vifiting the Friendly IJlands. — Bejl
Articles for Traffic. — Refrejhments that may be procured. —
The Number of the IJlands, and their Names. — Keppel's
and Bofcawen's IJlands belong to them. — Account of Vavaoo
— of Hamoa — of Feejee. — Voyages of the Natives in their
Canoes. — Difficulty of procuring exaB Information. — Per-
fons of the Inhabitants of both Sexes. — Their Colour. — Dif-
eafes. — Their general CharaSier. — Manner of wearing their
Hair — of punBuring their Bodies. — Their Clothing and Or-
naments.— Perfonal Cleanlinefs. 364
CHAP. XE
Employments of the Women at the Friendly IJlands. — Of the
Men. — Agriculture.— ConJlruBion of their Houfes. — Their
working Tools. — Cordage, and JJhing Implements . — Mujical
Injlruments. — Weapons. — Food, and Cookery. — Amufe-
ments. — Marriage. — Mourning Ceremonies for the Dead. —
Their Divinities. — Notions about the Soul, and a future
State.
CONTENTS,
State, — 'Their Places of Worjhip. — Government. — Manner
of paying Obeijance to the King. — Account of the Royal Fa^
mily. — Remarks on their Language^ and a Specimen of
it. — Nautical and other Obfervations. 390
INTRO-
INTRODUCTION.
H E fpirit of difcovery, which had long animated the
X European nations, having, after its arduous and fuc-
cefsful exertions, during the fifteenth and fixteenth cen-
turies, gradually fubfided, and for a confiderable time lain
dormant, began to revive in Great Britain in the late
reign ; and recovered all its former activity, under the
cherifhing influence, and munificent encouragement, of his
prefent Majefty.
Soon after his acceffion to the throne, having happily
clofed the deftrudlive operations of war, he turned his
thoughts to enterprizes more humane, but not lefs bril-
liant, adapted to the feafon of returning peace. While
every liberal art, and ufeful ftudy, flouriflied under his
patronage at home, his fuperintending care was extended
to fuch branches of knowledge, as required diftant exami-
* Two voyages for difcovering a North Weft paflage, through Hudfon’s Bay, were
then performed ; one under the command of Captain Middleton, in his Majefty’s ftiips the
Furnace, and the Difcovery Pink, in 1741, and 1742. The other under the direftion of
Captains Smith and Moore, in the ftiips Dobbs and California, fitted out by fubfcription,
in 1746, and 1747.
VoL. I. a nation
n
INTRODUCTION.
nation and inquiry ; and his fliips, after bringing back vic-
tory and conqueft from every quarter of the known world,
were now employed in opening friendly communications
with its hitherto unexplored recefles.
In the profecution of an object fo worthy of the Monarch
of a great commercial people, one voyage followed another
in clofe fuccellion ; and, we may add, in regular gradation.
What Byron ''i-' had begun, Wallis t and Carteret J foon im-
proved. Their fuccefs gave birth to a far more extenfive
plan of difcovery, carried into execution, in two fubfequent
voyages, condudted by Cook §. And that nothing might
be left un attempted, though much had been already done,
the fame Commander, whofe profeffional fkill could only
be equalled by the perfevering diligence with which he
had exerted it, in the courfe of his former refearches, was
called upon, once more, to refume, or rather to complete,
the furvey of the globe. Accordingly, another voyage was
undertaken in 1776 ; which, though laft in the order of
time, was far from being the leaft confiderable, with refpedt
to the extent and importance of its obje6ls ; yet, ftill, far
* Captain, now Admiral, Byron, had, under his command, the Dolphin and Tamer.
He failed in June 1764, and returned in May 1766-
f Captain Wallis had, under his command, the Dolphin and Swallow. He failed in
Auguft 1766, and returned, with the Dolphin, in May 1768.
% The Swallow, commanded by Captain Carteret, having been fcparated from
Wallis, and, by keeping a different route, having made different difcoveries, this may
be confidered as a diftinft voyage. The Swallow returned to England in March
1769.
§ Captain Cook, in the Endeavour, failed in Auguft 1768, and returned in July
1771.
In his fecond voyage, he had the Refolution and Adventure under his command.
They failed from England in July 1772, and returned on the 30th of July 1775.
lefs
INTRODUCTION.
lefs fortunate than any of the former, as thofe objedls were
not accomplifhed, but at the expence of the valuable life of
its Condudtor,
When plans, calculated to be of general utility, are car-
ried into execution with partial views, and upon interefted
motives, it is natural to attempt to confine, within fome
narrow circle, the advantages which might have been de-
rived to the world at large, by an unreferved difclofure of
all that had been efFe6ted. And, upon this principle, it has
too frequently been conlidered as found policy, perhaps, in
this country, as well as amongft fome of our neighbours,
to affe(5l to draw a veil of fecrecy over the refult of enter-
prizes to difcover and explore unknown quarters of the
globe. It is to the honour of the prefent reign, that more
liberal views have been now adopted. Our late voyages,
from the very extenlive objects propofed by them, could not
but convey ufeful information to every European nation ;
and, indeed, to every nation, however remote, which cul-
tivates commerce, and is acquainted with navigation : and
that information has mold laudably been afforded. The
fame enlarged and benevolent fpirit, which ordered thefe
feveral expeditions to be undertaken, has alfo taken care
that the refult of their various difcoveries fliould be au-
thentically recorded. And the tranfa6tions of the five firfl
voyages round the world having, in due time, been com-
municated under the authority of his Majefty’s naval
Minifter ; thofe of the fixth, which, belides revifiting many
of the former difcoveries in the Southern, carried its opera-
* The account of the four firft of thefe voyages, compiled by Dr. Hawkefworth, from
the Journals of the feveral Commanders, was publiftied in 1772, in Three Volumes
quarto and Captain Cook’s own account of the fifth, in 1777, in Two Volumes
quarto,
hi
a 2
tions
IV
INTRODUCTION,
tions into untrodden paths in the Northern hemifphere,
are, under the fame fan6tion, now fubmitted to the Public
in thefe Volumes.
One great plan of nautical inveftigation having been
purfued throughout, it is obvious, that the feveral voy-
ages have a clofe connection, and that an exaCt recollec-
tion of what had been aimed at, and effected, in thofe
that preceded, will throw confiderable light on our pe-
riod. With a view, therefore, to affifl the Reader in form-
ing a juft eftimate of the additional information conveyed
by this Publication, it may not be improper to lay before
him a fhort, though comprehenfive, abftraCt of the prin-
cipal objects that had been previoufly accomplifhed, ar-
ranged in fuch a manner, as may ferve to unite, into one
point of view, the various articles which lie fcattered
through the voluminous Journals already in the hands
of the Public ; thofe compiled by Dr. Hawkefworth ; and
that which was written by Captain Cook himfelf. By
thus fhewing what had been formerly done, how much
ftill remained for fubfequent examination, will be more ap-
parent ; and it will be better underftood on what grounds,
though the fhips of his Majefty had already circumnavi-
gated the world five different times, in the courfe of
about ten years, another voyage fhould ftill be thought
expedient.
There will be a farther ufe in giving fuch an abftraCt a
place in this Introduction. The plan of difcovery, carried
on in fo many fucceffive expeditions, being now, we may
take upon us to fay, in a great meafure completed ; by
fumming up the final refult, we lliall be better able to do
juftice to the benevolent purpofes it was defigned to anfwer ;
and a folid foundation will be laid, on which we may build
a fa-
INTRODUCTION.
V
a fatisfacSlory anfwer to a queftion, fometimes afked by
peevifli refinement, and ignorant malevolence, What bene-
ficial confequences, if any, have followed, or are likely to
follow, to the difcoverers, or to the difcovered, to the com-
mon interefts of humanity, or to the increafe of ufeful
knowledge,^ from all our boafted attempts to explore the
diftant recefles of the globe ?
The general objedf of the feveral voyages round the world,
undertaken by the command of his Majefty, prior to that
related in this work, was to fearch for unknown trails of
land that might exifl; within the bofom of the immenfe
expanfe of ocean that occupies the whole Southern hemi-
fphere.
Within that fpace, fo few refearches had been made,
before our time, and thofe few refearches had been made
fo imperfectly, that the refult of them, as communicated
to the world in any narration, had rather ferved to create
uncertainty, than to convey information; to deceive the
credulous, rather than to fatisfy the judicious inquirer ; by
blending the true geography of above half the fuperficies
of the earth with an endlefs variety of plaufible conjectures,
fuggefted by ingenious fpeculation ; of idle tales, handed
down by obfcure tradition ; or of bold fictions, invented by
deliberate falfehood.
. It would have been very unfortunate, indeed, if five dif-
ferent circumnavigators of the globe, fome of them, at
leaft, if not all, in tracks little known, and lefs frequented,,
had produced no difcoveries, to reward the difficulties and
perils unavoidably encountered. But the following review
will furnifh the molt fatisfaCtory proofs, that his Majefty’s
inftruCtions have been executed with ability ; and that the
repeated vifits of his fhips to the Southern hemifphere,
have
Vi
INTRODUCTION.
have very confiderably added to our Rock of geographical
knowledge.
I.
The South Atlantic Ocean was the fir ft fcene of our ope-
rations. Falkland’s Iflands had been hitherto barely known
to exift ; but their true pofition and extent, and every cir-
cumftance which could render their exiftence of any con-
fequence, remained abfolutely undecided, till Byron vifited
them in 1764. And Captain Macbride, who followed him
thither two years after, having circumnavigated their coafts,
and taken a complete furvey, a chart of Falkland’s Iflands
has been conftrudled, with fo much accuracy, that the coafts
of Great Britain, itfelf, are not more authentically laid down,
upon our maps.
How little was really known of the iflands in the South
Atlantic, even fo late as the time of Lord Anfon, we have
the moft remarkable proofs, in the Hiftory of his voyage.
Unavoidably led into miftake, by the imperfecft materials
then in the poflelfion of the world, he had confidered Pe-
pys’s Ifland, and Falkland Ifles, as diftincft places, diftant
from each other about five degrees of latitude Byron’s
refearches have rectified this capital error; and it is now
decided, beyond all contradidtion, that future navigators
will mifpend their time^ if they look for Pepys^s Ifland in lati-
tude 47° ; it being now certain^ that Pepys^s Ifland is no other
than thefe iflands of Falkland
Befides the determination of this confiderable point, other
* See Lord Anfon’s V oyage, quarto edition, p* 9 1 .
t Thefe are Captain Cook’s words, Preface to his Voyage^ p. 14. ; and the evidence,
on which he forms this judgment, may be met with in Hawkefworth’s Journal of Byron’s
Voyage, Vol. i. p. 23, 24—51, 52, 53, 54.
lands,
INTRODUCTION.
vii
lands, Iituated in the South Atlantic, have been brought
forward into view. If the ille of Georgia had been for-
merly feen by La Roche, in 1675, and by Mr. Guyot, in the
fliip Lion, in 1756, which feems to be probable. Captain
Cook, in 1775, has made us fully acquainted with its extent
and true polition ; and, in the fame year, he added to the
map of the world Sandwich Land, hitherto not known to
exift, and the moft Southern difcovery that has been ever
accompliflied '‘b
II.
Though the Strait of Magalhaens had been frequently
vilited, and failed through by fhips of different nations,
before our time ; a careful examination of its bays, and
harbours, and head-lands, of the numerous iflands it con-
tains, and of the coafts, on both fides, that inclofe it ; and
an exadt account of the tides, and currents, and foundings,
throughout its whole extent, was a talk, which, if Sir
John Narborough, and others, had not totally omitted,
they cannot be faid to have recorded fo fully, as to pre-
clude the utility of future inveftigation. This talk has
been ably and effedfually performed by Byron, Wallis, and
Carteret ; whofe tranfadtions in this Strait, and the chart of
it, founded on their obfervations and difcoveries, are a moll
valuable acceflion to geography.
IIL
If the correct information, thus obtained, about every
part of this celebrated Strait, Ihould deter future adven-
turers from involving themfelves in the difficulties and
* See the Chart of Difcoveries in the South Atlantic, Cook’s Voyage, Vol. ii.
p. 210.
embarralfments
INTRODUCTION.
viii
embarralTments of a labyrinth, now known to be fo intri-
cate, and the unavoidable fource of danger and delay, we
have the fatisfadfion to have difcovered, that a fafer and
more expeditious entrance into the Pacific Ocean, may be
reafonably depended upon. The paflage round Cape Horn,
has been repeatedly tried, both from the Eaft and from the
Well, and ftript of its terrors. We fhall, for the future, be
lefs difcouraged by the labours and diftrelTes experienced
by the fquadrons of Lord Anfon and Pizarro, when we re-
colle(Sl:, that they were obliged to attempt the navigation of
thofe feas at an unfavourable feafon of the year ; and that
there was nothing very formidable met with there, when
they were traverfed by Captain Cook.
To this diftinguifhed navigator was referved the honour
of being the firft, who, from a feries of the mofi: fatisfadfory
obfervations, beginning at the Weft entrance of the Strait
of Magalhaens, and carried on, with unwearied diligence,
round Tierra del Fuego, through the Strait of Le Maire, has
conftru6ted a chart of the Southern extremity of America,
from which it will appear, how much former navigators
muft have been at a lofs to guide themfelves, and what
advantages will now be enjoyed by thofe who fliall here-
after fail round Cape Horn.
IV.
As the voyages of difcovery, undertaken by his Majefty’s
command, have facilitated the accefs of fliips into the Pa-
cific Ocean, they have alfo greatly enlarged our knowledge
of its contents.
Though the immenfe expanfe ufually diftinguiflied by
this appellation, had been navigated by Europeans for near
two centuries and a half *■, by far the greater part of it,
* Magalhaens’s Voyage was undertaken in 1519.
particularly
INTRODUCTION.
IX
particularly to the South of the equator, had remained,
during all this time, unexplored.
The great aim of Magalhaens, and of the Spaniards in
general, its firft navigators, being merely to arrive, by this
paflage, at the Moluccas, and the other Aliatic Spice Iflands,
every intermediate part of the ocean that did not lie conti-
guous to their Weftern track, which was on the North fide
of the equator, of courfe efcaped due examination. And if
Mendana and Quiros, and fome namelefs condudfors of
voyages before them by deviating from this track, and
Ileering Weftward from Callao, within the Southern tropic,
were fo fortunate as to meet with various illands there, and
fo fanguine as to conlider thofe iflands as marks of the ex-
iftence of a neighbouring Southern continent ; in the ex-
ploring of which they flattered themfelves they fliould rival
the fame of De Gama and Columbus ; thefe feeble efforts
never led to any effedtual difclofure of the fuppofed hidden
mine of a New World. On the contrary, their voyages being
condudted without a judicious plan, and their difcoveries
being left imperfedl without immediate fettlement, or fub-
fequent examination, and fcarcely recorded in any well-
authenticated or accurate narrations, had been almoft for-
got ; or were fo obfcurely remembered, as only to ferve
the purpofe of producing perplexing debates about their
fituation and extent; if not to fuggefl doubts about their
very exiftence.
It feems, indeed, to have become a very early object of
policy in the Spanifh councils, to difcontinue and to dif-
courage any farther refearches in that quarter. Already
matters of a larger empire on the continent of America
* See the particulars of their difcoveries in Mr. Dalrymple’s valuable Colledtion of
Voyages in the South Pacific Ocean.
VOL. I.
b
than
X
INTRODUCTION.
than they could conveniently govern, and of richer mines
of the precious metals on that continent than they could
convert into ufe, neither avarice nor ambition furniflied
reafons for aiming at a frefli acceflion of dominions. And
thus, though fettled all along the fhores of this Ocean, in a
iituation fo commodious for profecutingdifcoveries through-
out its wide extent, the Spaniards remained fatisfied with a
coafting intercourfe between their own ports ; never ftretch-
ing acrofs the vaft gulph that feparates that part of America
from Alia, but in an unvarying line of navigation ; per-
haps in a lingle annual fliip, between Acapulco and Ma-
nilla.
The tracks of other European navigators of the South
Pacific Ocean, were, in a great meafure, regulated by thofe
of the Spaniards ; and confequently limited within the fame
narrow bounds. With the exception, perhaps, of two in-
ftances only, thofe of Le Maire and Roggewein, no fhips of
another nation had entered this fea, through the Strait of
Magalhaens, or round Cape Horn, but for the purpofes of
trade with the Spaniards, or of hoftility againfl: them : pur-
pofes which could not be anfwered, without precluding
any probable chance of adding much to our ftock of dif-
covery. For it was obviOully incumbent on all fuch ad-
venturers, to confine their cruifes within a moderate diftance
of the Spanilh fettlements ; in the vicinity of which alone
they could hope to exercife their commerce, or to exe-
cute their predatory and military operations. Accordingly,
foon after emerging from the Strait, or completing the
circuit of Tierra del Fuego, they began to hold a Northerly
courfe, to the uninhabited ifiand of Juan Fernandez, their
ufual fpot of rendezvous and refrefhment. And after
ranging along the continent of America, from Chili to
California,
INTRODUCTION.
California, they either reverfed their courfe back to the
Atlantic ; or, if they ventured to extend their voyage, by
ftretching over to Alia, they never thought of trying expe-
riments in the unfrequented and unexplored parts of the
Ocean ; but chofe the beaten path (if the expreffion may
be ufed), within the limits of which it was likely that they
might meet with a Philippine galleon, to make their voyage
profitable to themfelves ; but could have little profpe(St,
if they had been defirous, of making it ufeful to the public,
by gaining any acceflion of new land to the Map of the
World.
By the natural operation of thefe caufes, it could not but
happen, that little progrefs fliould be made toward obtain-
ing a full and accurate knowledge of the South Pacific
Ocean. Something, however, had been attempted by the
induftrious, and once enterprifing Dutch ; to whom we are
indebted for three voyages, undertaken for the purpofes of
difcovery ; and whofe refearches, in the Southern latitudes
of this Ocean, are much better afcertained than are thofe of
the earlier Spanifli navigators above mentioned.
Le Maire and Schouten, in i6i6, and Roggewein, in 1722,
wifely judging, that nothing new could be gained by ad-
hering to the ufual paflage on the North fide of the line,
traverfed this Ocean from Cape Horn to the Eafi: Indies,
crofiing the South tropic ; a fpace which had been fo fel-
dom, and fo ineffectually vifited ; though popular belief,
fortified by philofophical fpeculation, expeCted there to
reap the richeft harveft of difcovery.
Tafman, in 1642, in his extenfive circuit from Batavia,
through the South Indian Ocean, entered the South Pacific,
at its greateft diltance from the American fide, where it
never had been examined before. And his range, continued
b 2 from
xi
INTRODUCTION.
from a high Southern latitude, Northward to New Guinea,
and the illands to the Eaft of it near the equator, produced
intermediate difcoveries, that have rendered his voyage me-
morable in the annals of navigation.
But Rill, upon the whole, what was effected in thefe
three expeditions, ferved only to fliew how large a field
was referved for future and more perfevering examination.
Their refults had, indeed, enabled geographers to diver-
fify the vacant uniformity of former charts of this Ocean,
by the infertion of fome new illands. But the number, and
the extent of thefe infertions were fo inconfiderable, that
they may be faid to appear
Rari, nantes in gurgite vafto.
And, if the difcoveries were few, thofe few were made
very imperfectly. Some coafts were approached, but not
landed upon ; and pafled without waiting to examine their
extent, and connection with thofe that might exift at no
great diltance. If others were landed upon, the vifits were,
in general, fo tranfient, that it was fcarcely poflible to build
upon a foundation, fo weakly laid, any information that
could even gratify idle curiofity ; much lefs fatisfy philofo-
phical inquiry, or contribute greatly to the fafety, or to the
fuccefs of future navigation.
Let us, however, do juftice to thefe beginnings of dif-
covery. To the Dutch we mull, at leaft, afcribe the merit
of being our harbingers, though we afterward went beyond
them in the road they had firll ventured to tread. And with
what fuccefs his Majefiy’s lliips have, in their repeated
voyages, penetrated into the obfcurell recefles of the South
Pacific Ocean, will appear from the following enumeration
of their various and very extenfive operations, which have
drawn
INTRODUCTION,
clra\vn up the veil that had hitherto been thrown over the
geography of fo great a proportion of the globe.
1. The feveral lands, of which any account had been
given, as feen by any of the preceding navigators, Spanifli
or Dutch, have been carefully looked for ; and mod: of
them (at lead; fuch as feemed to be of any confequence)
found out and vidted ; and not vidted in a curfory manner,
but every means ufed to corredf former midiakes, and to
fupply former dedciencies, by making accurate inquiries
adiore, and taking fkilful furveys of their coadis, by failing
round them. Who has not heard, or read, of the boafted
"Sierra Aujiralia del Efpiritu Santo of Quiros ? But its bold
pretendons to be a part of a Southern continent, could not
Rand Captain Cook’s examination, who failed round it, and
adigned it its true podtion and moderate bounds, in the
Archipelago of the New Hebrides
2. Beddes perfedting many of the difcoveries of their
predeceflbrs, our late navigators have enriched geographi-
cal knowledge with a long catalogue of their own. The
Pacidc Ocean, wdthin the South tropic, repeatedly tra-
verfed, in every dire61;ion, was found to fwarm with a
feemingly endlefs profudon of habitable fpots of land.
Idands fcattered through the amazing fpace of near four-
fcore degrees of longitude, feparated at various didances,
or grouped in numerous cluders, have, at their approach,
as it were, darted into exidence ; and fuch ample accounts
have been brought home concerning them and their inha-
bitants, as may ferve every ufeful purpofe of inquiry ; and,
* Bougainville, in 1768, did bo more than difcover that the land here was not con-
nefted, but compofed of iflands. Captain Cook, in 1774, explored the whole group.
See Cook’s Voyage, Vol. ii. p. 96.
xiii
to
XIV
INTRODUCTION.
to ufe Captain Cook’s words, who bore fo confiderable a
iliare in thofe difcoveries, have left little more to be done in
that part *•.
3. Byron, Wallis, and Carteret, bad each of them con-
tributed toward increafing our knowledge of the illande.
that exift in the Pacific Ocean, within the limits of the
Southern tropic; l)ut how far that ocean reached to the
Weft, what lands bounded it on that fide, and the connec-
tion of thofe lands with the difcoveries of former naviga-
tors, was ftill the reproach of geographers, and remained
abfolutely unknown, till Captain Cook, during his firft
voyage in 1770 t, brought back the moft fatisfadtory deci-
fion of this important queftion. With a wonderful per-
feverance, and confummate fkill, amidft an uncommon
combination of perplexities and dangers, he traced this
coaft near two thoufand miles, from the 38° of South lati-
tude, crofs the tropic, to its Northern extremity, within
10° I of the equinodtial, where it was found to join the lands
already explored by the Dutch, in feveral voyages from
their Afiatic fettlements, and to which they have given the
name of New Holland. Thofe difcoveries made in the laft
century, before Tafman’s voyage, had traced the North
and the Weft coafts of this land ; and Captain Cook, by
his extenfive operations on its Eaft fide, left little to be
done toward completing the full circuit of it. Between
Cape Hicks, in latitude 38°, where his examination of this
coaft began, and that part of Van Diemen’s Land, from
whence Tafman took his departure, was not above fifty-
five leagues. It was highly probable, therefore, that they
were connedted; though Captain Cook cautioufly fays, that
he could not determine whether his New South Wales, that is,
* Cook’s Voyage, Vol. ii. p. 239, f See Hawkefworth’s Colledtion, Vol. ili.
the
INTRODUCTION.
XV
the Eaft coaft of New Holland, joins'to Fan Diemen's Land,
or no But what was thus left undetermined by the ope-
rations of his firft voyage, was, in the courfe of his fecond,
foon cleared up ; Captain Furheaux, in the Adventure,
during his feparation from the Refolution (a fortunate fe-
paration as it thus turned out) in 1773, having explored
Van Diemen’s Land, from its Southern point, along the
Eaft coaft, far beyond Tafman’s ftation, and on to the lati-
tude 38'', where Captain Cook’s examination of it in 1770
had commenced t.
It is no longer, therefore, a doubt, that we have now a
full knowledge of the whole circumference of this vaft
body of land, this fifth part of the world (if I may fo
fpeak), which our late voyages have difcovered to be of fo
amazing a magnitude, that, ' to ufe Captain Cook’s words,
it is of a larger extent than any other country in the known
worlds that does not bear the name of a continent
4. Tafman having entered the Pacific Ocean, after leav-
ing Van Diemen’s Land, had fallen in with a coaft to
which he gave the name of New Zealand. The extent of
this coaft, and its pofition in any direction but a part of its
Weft fide, which he failed along in his courfe Northward,
being left abfolutely unknown, it had been a favourite
opinion amongft geographers, fince his time, that New
Zealand was a part of a Southern continent, running North
and South, from the 33° to the 64° of South latitude, and
its Northern coaft ftretching crofs the South Pacific to an
immenfe diftance, where its Eaftern boundary had been
feen by Juan Fernandez, half a century before. Captain
* Hawkefworth, Vol. iii. p. 483.
t Cook’s Voyage, Vol. i. p. 114.
X Hawkefworth, Vol. iii. p. 622.
Cook’s
INTRODUCTION.
iLvi
Cook’s voyage in the Endeavour, has totally deftroyed this
fuppolition. Though Tafman muft Rill have the credit
of having firft feen New Zealand; to Captain Cook folely
belongs that of having really explored it. He fpent near
fix months upon its coafts in 1769 and 1770 circumna-
vigated it completely, and afcertained its extent and divi-
lion into two illands t. Repeated vifits lince that, have
perfected this important difcovery, which though now
known to be no part of a Southern continent, will, proba-
bly, in all future charts of the world, be diftinguiflied as
the largell: illands that exift in that part of the Southern
hemifphere.
5. Whether New Holland did or did not join to New
Guinea, was a queftion involved in much doubt and un-
certainty, before Captain Cook’s failing between them,
through Endeavour Strait, decided it. We will not heli-
tate to call this an important acquilition to geography. For
though the great fagacity and extenfive reading of Mr.
Dalrymple, had difcovered fome traces of fuch a palfage
having been found before yet thefe traces were fo ob-
fcure, and fo little known in the prefent age, that they had
not generally regulated the conftrudtion of our charts ; the
Prelident de Brolfes §, who wrote in 1756, and was well
verfed in geographical refearches, had not been able to
* From 0£tober 6, 1769, to March 31, 1770.
•}- Its Southern extremity nearly in latitude 47°, and its Northern in 34° See Cap-
tain Cook’s chart, in Hawkefworth, Vol. ii. p. 281.
t See the track of Torre, in one of Quiros’s fhips, in 1606, between New Holland
and New Guinea, upon Mr. Dalrymple’s Chart of Difcoveries in the South Pacific
Ocean, before 1764.
§ M. de Brofles fays of New Guinea ; “ C’eft une longue ifle, ou prefqu’ ifle, fi elle
“ touche a la Nouvelle Hollande.” Navigations aux Torres Aujirales^ Tom. i. pi 434.
fatisfy
INTRODUCTION.
xvii
fatisfy himfelf about them ; and Monf. de Bougainville, in
1768, who had ventured to fall in with the South coaft of
New Guinea, near ninety leagues to the Weftward of its
South Eaft point, chofe rather to work thofe ninety leagues
directly to windward, at a time when his people were in
fuch diftrefs for provilions as to eat the feal-Ikins from off
the yards and rigging, than to run the rifk of finding a paf-
fage, of the exiftence of which he entertained the ftrongefi;
doubts, by perfevering in his Wellerly courfe Captain
Cook therefore in this part of his voyage (though he mo-
deftly difclaims all merit t), has eftabliflied, beyond future
controverfy, a fa61: of eflential fervice to navigation, by
opening if not a new, at lead: an unfrequented and for-
gotten communication between the South Pacific and In-
dian Oceans.
6. One more difcovery, for which we are indebted to
Captain Carteret, as fimilar in fome degree to that lafi:
mentioned, may properly fucceed it, in this enumeration.
Dampier, in failing round what was fuppofed to be part of
the coaft of New Guinea, difcovered it to belong to a fepa-
rate ifland, to which he gave the name of New Britain.
But that the land which he named New Britain, fhould be
fub-divided again into two feparate large iflands, with many
fmaller intervening, is a point of geographical information,
which, if ever traced by any of the earlieft: navigators of
the South Pacific, had not been handed down to the prefent
age : and its having been afcertained by Captain Carteret,
* “ Le trifle etat ou nous etions reduits, ne nous permettoit de chercher en faifant
“ route a I’ouefl, un paflage au fud de la Nouvelle Guinee, qui nous frayat par le Golfe
“ de la Carpenterie une route nouvelle et courte aux iles Moluques. Rien n'etoit a la
“ verite plus problematique que Vexijience de ce pajfage,” V oyage autour du Monde, p. 259,
t Hawkeflvorth, Vol. iii. p. 660.
VoL. I.
deferves
xviii
INTRODUCTION.
deferves to be mentioned as a difcovery, in the ftri6left fenfe
of the word ; a difcovery of the utmoft importance to na-
vigation. St. George’s Channel, through which his fliip
found a way, between New Britain and New Ireland, from
the Pacific into the Indian Ocean, to ufe the Captain’s own
words “ is a much better and fhorter paffage, whether
from the Eaftward or Weftward, than round all the illands
and lands to the Northward t.”
V.
The voyages of Byron, Wallis, and Carteret were prin-
cipally confined to a favourite object of difcovery in the
South Atlantic ; and though acceflions to geography were
procured by them in the South Pacific, they could do but
little toward giving the world a complete view of the con-
tents of that immenfe expanfe of ocean, through which they
only held a dire(5l track, on their way homeward by the
Eaft-Indies. Cook, indeed, who was appointed to the con-
duct of the fucceeding voyage, had a more accurate exa-
mination of the South Pacific intrufled to him. But as the
improvement of aftronomy went hand in hand, in his in-
ftruclions, with that of geography, the Captain’s folicitude
to arrive at Otaheite time enough to obferve the tranfit of
Venus, put it out of his power to deviate from his diredt
track, in fearch of unknown lands that might lie to the
* Hawkefworth, Vol. i. p. 563.
t The pofition of the Solomon Iflands, Mendana’s celebrated difcovery, will no longer
remain a matter in debate amongft geographers, Mr. Dalrymple having, on the moft fa-
tisfa£lory evidence, proved, that they are the clufter of iflands which comprizes what has
fmce been called New Britain, New Ireland, &c. The great light thrown on that clufter
by Captain Carteret’s difcovery, is a ftrong confirmation of this. See Mr. Dalrymple’s
Collection of Voyages, Vol. i. p. 16 — 21.
South
INTRODUCTION.
South Eaft of that ill and. By this unavoidable attention to
his duty, a very conliderable part of the South Pacific, and
that part where the richefi; mine of difcovery was fuppofed
to exift, remained unvifited and unexplored, during that
voyage in the Endeavour. To remedy this, and to clear
up a point, which, though many of the learned were con-
fident of, upon principles of fpeculative reafoning, and
many of the unlearned admitted, upon what they thought
to be credible teftimony, was ftill held to be very pro-
blematical, if not abfolutely groundlefs, by others who
were lefs fanguine or more incredulous ; his Majefty, al-
ways ready to forward every inquiry that can add to the
ftock of interefiing knowledge in every branch, ordered
another expedition to be undertaken. The fignal fervices
performed by Captain Cook, during his firfi: voyage, of
which we have given the outlines, marked him as the fit-
teft perfon to finifh an examination which he had already
fo fkilfully executed in part. Accordingly, he was fent out
in 1772, with two fhips, the Relblution and Adventure,
upon the rnofi: enlarged plan of difcovery known in the
annals of navigation. For he was inftruiled not only to
circumnavigate the globe, but to circumnavigate it in high
Southern latitudes, making fuch traverfes, from time to
time, into every corner of the Pacific Ocean not before ex-
amined, as might finally and effectually refolve the much
agitated queftion about the exiftence of a Southern conti-
nent, in any part of the Southern hemifphere acceflible
by navigation.
The ample acceffions to geography, by the difcovery of
many iflands within the Tropic in the Pacific Ocean, in the
courfe of this voyage, which was carried on, with fingular
perfeverance, between three and four years, have been al-
c 2 ready
kix
XX
INTRODUCTION.
ready Hated to the reader. But the general fearch now
made, throughout the whole Southern hemifphere, as be-
ing the principal objedl in view, hath been referved for
this feparate article. Here, indeed, we are not to take
notice of lands that have been difcovered, but of feas fail-
ed through, where lands had been fuppofed to exift. In
tracing the route of theRefolution and Adventure, through-
out the South Atlantic, the South Indian, and the South
Pacific Oceans that environ the globe, and combining it
with the route of the Endeavour, we receive what may be
called ocular demonftration, that Captain Cook, in his per-
fevering refearches, failed over many an extenfive conti-
nent, which, though fuppofed to have been feen by for-
mer navigators, at the approach of his fliips, funk into the
bofom of the ocean, and, like the bafelejs fabric of a vijion,
left not a rack behind It has been urged, that the exift-
ence
* It muft be obferved, however, that Monfieur le Monier, in the Memoirs of the
French Academy of Sciences for 1776, pleads for the exiftence of Cape Circumcifion,
feen by Bouvet in 1738, which our Englilh navigator fought for in vain, and fuppofes to
have been only an ifland of ice. Mr. Wales, in a paper read before the Royal Society,
very forcibly replied to M. le Monier’s obje£l:ions ; and the attack having been repeated,
he has drawn up a more extended defence of this part of Captain Cook’s Journal, which
he hath very obligingly communicated, and is here inferred.
Argwnents^ tending to prove that Captain Cook fought for Cape Circumcifion under the proper
Meridian ; and that the Objections which have been made to his Conduct.^ in this refpeCt, are
not well founded.
- • ,
In the Memoirs of the Royal Academy of Sciences at Paris for 1776, printed in 1779,
M. Le Monier has made fome remarks, with a defign to fhew that Captain Cook fought
the land, ufually called Cape Circumcifion, in a wrong place ; and that, inftead of looking
for it under the meridian of 9“ § or 10° of Eaft longitude, he ought to have looked for it
under a meridian which is only 3°, or 3° \ to the Eaftward of the meridian of Green-
wich ; and confequently that this land may e?cift, notwithftanding all that has yet been
done
INTRODUCTION.
XXI
ence of a Southern continent is neceffary to preferve an
equilibrium between the two hemifpheres. But however
plaufible
done to find it. M. Le Monier has alfo two additional Memoirs on the fame fubjedl, in
the volume for 1779, occafioned, as it appears, by fome objedlions which have been made
to his former Memoir before the Academy. For fome reafon or other, the Academy has
not thought proper to print the objedtions which have been made to M. Le Monier’s hy-
pothefis ; nor has he been particular enough in his two Memoirs, which reply to them,
to enable me to fay of what importance the objedtions are. I can only gather, that they
contain fome exceptions to the quantity by which M. Le Monier aflerts the variation al-
ters in 10° of longitude, under the parallel of 54° South j and which, I conceive, has little
to do in the difpute.
Whether the land, ufually called Cape Circumcifion, exifts or not, is a point of fmall
importance to geography ; as the moft ftrenuous aflerters of its exiftence muft allow it to
be a very inconfiderable ifland, and of no ufe. This, therefore, is not, in itfelf, a matter
worthy of difpute : but, in aflerting this, M. Le Monier has, and I am forry to obferve it,
with fome afperity too, particularly in his fecond Memoir, endeavoured to cenfure the
judgment and condudt of Captain Cook, whofe memory I have every reafon to revere, as
well as the judgment of thofe who were with him ; and on this account, I cannot help
feeling myfelf called on to explain the motives which induced Captain Cook to place no de-
pendence on the arguments, now adduced by M, Le Monier^ in fupport of his fuppofition ;
and which, M. Le Monier muft know, were not unattended to, at that time, from what
the Captain has faid, p. 236. Vol. II. of his Account of the Voyage. And it may be
proper to obferve here, that what fell from Captain Cook^ on this fubjedt, was to ftiew that
this circumftance was then attended to, and not to throw blame on M. Bouvet^ for whofe
memory and abilities Captain Cook entertained great refpedi ; nor is it incompatible with
the utmoft refpedi, for a man to have a favourable opinion of his own labours ; or to en-
deavour to Ihew w’hy he thinks the difagreement between them and thofe of another per-
fon, when there is one, does not arife from an error committed by himfelf. There could,
therefore, be no occafion for M, Le Monier to exprefs himfelf fo harlhly, as he has
done, in feveral parts of his fecond Memoir.
The fubftance of M. Le Monier' argument is this. In 1739, when M. Bouvet’s dif-
cov'ery is fuppofed to have been made, the methods for determining the longitude of a
fliip at fea were very defedlive ; and, of courfe, the longitude of any land which happened
accidentally to be feen by one, was equally uncertain. On a prefumption that this was the
cafe with refpedl to Cape Circumcifion, M. Le Monier enquires into the quantity of the
variation of the magnetic needle, obferved by M. Bouvet at that place ; and alfo into ob-
£,.yations of the fame kind, made at other places in the neighbourhood of it, about the
fame
"xxii
INTRODUCTION.
plaulible this theory may feem, at firft light, experience
has abundantly dete(fted its fallacy. In confequence of
Captain
fame time, as well as both before and fmce. And, by comparing thefe obfervations toge-
ther, he concludes, that at the time when Captain Cook was in thefe feas, tlie variation
of the needle at Cape Circumcifion muft have been io° Wefterly : whereas, in the moft
Wefterly point of Captain Cook’s track, where he was fufficiently near the parallel of
54° South, to have feen land fituated in it, the variation was 13° f Wefterly. This dif-
ference of 3° f , in the variation, anfwers to about 7° of longitude, in this part of the pa-
rallel of 54° South ; and by fo much did Captain Cook fall in with this parallel to the
Ealbward of what he ought to have done to fee the land in queftion. “ Hence (M. Le
“ Monier infers), that it is not furprizing the Britifti navigator fliould not find Cape
“ Circumcifion under a meridian which is 28° | to the Eaftward of Ferro, when it is
“ really fituated under a meridian which is but 21° f to the Eaftward of it.”
In replying to thefe allegations, I fhall, firft, ftiew, that, granting the dependence which
M, Le Monier fuppofes may be placed on obfervations of the variation made at fea, he
has ftated the quantity of the variation, obferved on board the Refolution, very erro-
neoufly.
Secondly, I fhall prove, beyond contradiflion, that obfervations of the variation, made
at fea, cannot be depended on, for the purpofes to which M. Le Monier has applied
them.
And, laftly, that no material error had crept into M. Bouvefs reckoning ; but that if
any error did exift, it muft have been of a contrary nature to that which M. Le Monier
fuppofes.
That M. Le Monier has not given altogether a true reprefentation of the matter, will
appear from hence. On the i6th of February, at noon*, the Refolution was in latitude
54° 3I1'' South, which is fufficiently near the parallel of 54° South, to fee high land, the
Northern extremity of which lies to the Southward of that parallel ; and at that time we
were in 6° Eaft of Greenwich, or 23° \ Eaft of the ifland of Ferro : that is, 4° \ lefs
than is affigned for our fituation by M. Le Monier. On the evening of the fame day,
the (hip being in latitude 54° 24^, and longitude 6° 30'', or 24° | Eaft of Ferro, the
variation was no more than 12° 7'' Weft, which alfo is near a degree and half lefs than
M. Le Monier fays it was, when we firft arrived in a proper parallel for feeing Cape
Circumcifion. It is true, the next morning, in latitude 54° 2 if'' South, longitude
8° 6' Eaft,
* I here go by the dates in “ The Original Allronomical Obfervations,” printed by or-
der of the Board of Longitude; which, after the 14th of February 1775, differ one day
from Captain Cook’s dates.
INTRODUCTION.
xxiii-
Captain Cook’s voyage, now under confideration, we have
a thorough knowledge of the Rate of the Southern hemi-
fphere,
8° 6' Eaft, we had 13® 42'' Weft variation ; but this was after we had run more than,
two degrees within fight of the parallel of 54° South. It is, moreover, highly pro-
bable, that both thefe variations were too great j for, on the 17th, in the evening, lati-
tude 54°‘25'' South, and longitude 9° 20'' Eaft; that is, i°| more to the Eaftward, and
after we had run on the parallel we were then on, the variation was no more than
13° 16^ Weft. It is alfo worthy of remark, that on the 14th, in the evening, latitude
56° 14V South, and longitude 4® 50' Eaft, which is but i° lO'' to the Weftward of the
point, where the Refolution came firft into a proper fituation to fee land, fituated in the
parallel of 54° South, the variation obferved was no more than 6° 50' Weft. And we
may further add, that on the ift of March, 1774, the Adventure had no more than I2°f
Weft variation, though ftie was then confiderably both to the Northward and Eaftward
of our fituation on the 17th of February in the morning, on both which accounts the va-
riation ought to have been greater, inftead of a whole degree lefs. From all thefe cir-
cumftances, there can be little doubt but that the two variations, obferved by us on the
1 6th and 17 th of February, were too great ; or that the variation, at the point where the
Refolution firft came fufficiently near the parallel of 54° South, to fee land, the Northern
extremity of which is fituated in that parallel, could not be more than 1 1° Weft, inftead
of 1 3° I, as M. Le Monier has reprefented it.
Under this head of enquiry I may alfo obferve, that although the Refolution was too
much to the Southward of the parallel of 54° South, when fhe crofted the meridian which
is 2i°i to the Eaftward of Ferro ; that is, 3° \ Eaft of Greenwich, the longitude which
M. Le Monier affigns for Cape Circumcifion, to fee it, if it had been in that fituation ; yet,
her confort, the Adventure, was for feveral degrees on each fide of that meridian ; and
efpecially when fhe had 10° | of Weft variation, full as near to the parallel of 54° South,
as M. Bouvet was to the land when he faw it * : and on the day that fhe adlually pafted
that meridian, had fine clear weather f. Hence, therefore, granting M. Le Monier his
own arguments, which, however, I have proved to be erroneous ; and that obfervations
made at fea, for the variation of the compafs, may be depended on for the purpofe of find-
ing the longitude, it is utterly impoffible that both the Refolution and Adventure could
have pafted Cape Circumcifion without feeing it. But I fhall now fhew, that thefe ob-
fervations are liable to a much greater error than the whole quantity, fo rigoroufly infilled
on by this gentleman.
I will
• See The Original Aftronomical Obfervations, p. 185, and Bouvet’s Voyage, publilhed
by Mr. Dalrymple, p. 4, and ii.
t See the Obfervations, p. 218.
XXIV
INTRODUCTION.
fphere, and can pronounce with certainty, that the equili-
brium of the globe is effedlually preferved, though the
proportion
I will not here run the rifk of incurring M. Le Mon'ter's difpleafure, by calling the ac-
curacy of M. Bouvet’s obfervations in queftion ; but will admit every thing that he him-
felf can think due to the inftruments and obfervations of that deferving navigator. It is
■enough for my argument, and it is but too evident, from the obfervations themfelves, that
ours were by no means capable of determining the variation to fo fmall a quantity as that
which M. Le Monier refts his whole caufe upon ; and if fo, his arguments, which depend
wholly on a fuppofition, that not only they, but M. Bouvet’s alfo, were capable of deter-
mining it with the utmoft exadinefs, muft fall to the ground.
I ft. It appears, from various inftances, that the variations obferved by the fame com-
pafs would differ 3° to 5°, 6°, and fometimes even 10°, from no other caufe whatever, but
putting the fhip’s head a contrary way* *.
2d, That the fame compafs, in the fame fituation in every refpedl, within a few miles,
but at two different times of the fame day, would give variations differing from one ano-
ther, 3°, 4°, 5°, 6°, and even 7° f.
3d, That the fame compafs, on the fame day, and in the hands of the fame obferver,
will give variations differing from one another by 5°, on board the fame Ihip, when under
fail, and when at anchor in a road-ftead J.
4th, Compafles, made by the fame artift, at the fame time and place, but on board dif-
ferent ftiips, differed 3°, 4°, and even 5° in the variation §.
5th, The fame Compafles, on board the fame fhip, and within a few miles of the fame
fituation, but at different times of our being there, gave variations differing by 4° and 5°,
or upwards |1.
6th, Different
* See the Original Aftronomical Obfervations, made in the fecond Voyage, March 1 1 ,
*773. P- 372-. January 24, 1774, p. 375. and July 28, p. 378.
t Obfervations in the fecond Voyage, February 2, 1773, p. 371. and January 19, 1775,
p. 382. Alfo Obfervations in laft Voyage, July 17, 1776, p. 179. Auguft 30, p. 181.
January 24, 1777, p. 192. and September 15, 1778, p. 205.
J Aftronomical Obfervations of fecond Voyage, July 14, 1775, p- 385.
§ Compare the Aftronomical Obfervations, made in the fecond Voyage, Auguft 3, and 9,
and September 4, 1772, p. 181. with thofe of the fame dates, p. 369. Thofe of January
II, and 14, and February 7, 1773, p. 182, with thofe of the fame dates, p. 371. Alfo
Aftronomical Obfervations, made in the laft Voyage, of December 27, 1776, p. 191. Fe-
bruary 22, 1778, p. 201. May 5, and 8, p. 102. July 9, and 24, 1779, p. 209. and
January 16, 1780, p. 212. with thofe of the fame dates, p. 291, 293, 294, 297,
and 298.
II Compare Aftronomical Obfervations, made in the fecond Voyage, February 10, p. 375.
with Obfervations of December 11, 1774, p. 381. Alfo Obfervations, made in the laft
Voyage, May 3, and June 18, 1779, p. 208.
INTRODUCTION.
XXV
proportion of fea adfually failed through, leaves no fuf-
iicient fpace for the correfponding mafs of land, which,
on
6th, DifFerent compafles, at the fame time, on board the fame (hip, and in every re-
fpedt under the fame circumftances, will give variations differing from one another, 3",
4°, 5°, and 6° *.
Thefe differences, feveral of which happened very near the place in queftion, are all of
them at leaft equal to, moft of them much greater, and fome of them double that which
M. Le Monier founds his argument on, even according to his own account of it, which I
have already fhewn is by no means admiffible ; and, therefore, totally invalidate it. To
allege that the inftruments made ufe of in Captain Cook’s two voyages were bad, or that
the obfervers were not expert in the ufe of them, will anfwer no purpofe : they are the
inftruments and obfervers which M. Le Monier’s argument muft reft on ; and, therefore,
let thofe of the French, or any other navigator, have been ever fo much better than they
were (which few will be hardy enough to aflert, and fewer ftill found weak enough to
believe), it will avail nothing to the point in difpute, which muft evidently fall to the
ground, if the obfervations made for finding the variation in Captain Cook’s voyage are
not fufficient to fupport it. What then muft become of it, if M. Bouvet’s obfervations,
of this kind, were liable to an equal, or a greater error ? which, without any reafonable
caufe for offence, we might fuppofe they were.
It is not neceffary to account for thefe differences in the obferved variations in this
place, nor yet to point out the reafons why fuch anomalies have not been noticed in ob-
fervations of this kind before. I fhall, however, remark, that I have hinted at fome of
the caufes in my introduftion to the obfervations which were made in Captain Cook’s
fecond voyage ; and many others will readily offer themfelves to perfons who have had
much practice in making thefe obfervations, and who have attentively confidered the
principles on which the inftruments are conftrufted, and the manner in which they are
fabricated. Nor is it at all furprizing, that the errors to which the inftruments and ob-
fervations of this kind are liable, fhould not have been difcovered before, fince no navi-
gators before us ever gave the fame opportunity, by multiplying theii» obfervations, and
making them under fuch a variety of circumftances as we did.
Having now fully fhewn, that the circumftances, brought forward by ML. Le Monier^
In fupport of his argument, are neither fuch as can be depended on, nor yet fairly repre-
fented
* Obfervations made in the fecond Voyage, February 2, 1773, p. 371. March 18, p.
372. and January 24, 1774, p. 375. See alfo Obfervations made laft Voyage, Auguft 18,
1776, p. 180. Odtober 7, and 14, p. 189, and 190. December 12, p. ibid. January
24, 1777, P- ‘92* March 10, p. 193. July 9, and 17, 1779, p. 209. January 16, 1780,
p. 212. March 24, p. 213. and May 19, p. 214.
VoL. I.
d
xxvi
INTRODUCTION.
on fpeculative arguments, had been maintained to be ne-
celTary
If
fented, I fhall next attempt to demonftrate, that it is utterly improbable M. Bouvet
could be out, in his account of longitude, fo much as is here fuppofed, in the fhort run
which had been made from the ifland of St. Catherine, the place they took their depar-
ture from ; on the contrary, that there is fufficient reafon to believe the error, of what-
ever magnitude it might be, was of a different nature from that contended for, and that
the two fhips, inftead of being to the Weft ward of their account of longitude, were ac-
tually to the Eaftward of it. For, according to their Journals, extrafted from the archives
of the French Eaft India Company, by M. D’Apres^ printed under his infpedllon, and
publifhed by Mr. Dalrymple, F. R. S. amongft other voyages made for the purpofe of
examining the Southern parts of the Atlantic Ocean, the longitude, according to the
Eagle’s run from St. Catherine’s, was 26° 27', and according to the Mary’s, 26° 20'
Eaft of TenerifF; that is, 9° 57', and 9° 50' Eaft of Greenwich, or 27° 43', and 27*
36' Eaft of Ferro. But the Mary, which went to the Cape of Good Hope, made 7° 13'
Eaft longitude from the land In queftlon, to that place. Confequently, the Cape of Good
Hope being In longitude 18° 23'' Eaft of Greenwich, Cape Circumcifion will be in 11°
10^ Eaft of Greenwich, or 1° 20' more to the Eaftward than the run by the fame fhip
from the ifland of St. Catherine’s makes it. Again, the Eagle made the difference of
longitude between Cape Circumcifion, and the ifland of Rodrigues, 49° 44'' ; and by the
obfervations of M. Pingre^ this ifland is In 62° 50' of Eaft longitude from Green-
wich : Cape Circumcifion is therefore in 13° b' Eaft of Greenwich, or 2° 9' more to
the Eaftward than by the Eagle’s run from St. Catherine’s. Hence, therefore, as the
longitude of this land, relulting from a comparifon of that fhewn by each of the fhips,
on their making land at places where the longitude is exceedingly well determined, is
greater than that which refults from their run from St. Catherine’s, the longitude of
which Is not known with certainty within feveral degrees, we may infer, with great
fafety, that whatever the quantity of M. Bouvet’s error might be, when he is fuppofed to
have feen Cape Circum.cifion, it muft have been in defedl, and not in excefs, as he
Monier fuppofes It.
Christ’s Hospital,! W. WALES.
April 20, 1784. I
* The judgment of the ingenious Author of Recherches fur les Americains^ on this quef-
tlon, feems to be very deferving of a place here : “ Qu’on calcule, comme on voudra,
“ on fera toujours contraint d’avouer, qu’il y a une plus grande portion de continent
“ fituee dans la latitude feptentrionale, que dans la latitude auftrale.
« C’eft
INTRODUCTION.
If former navigators have added more land to the known
globe than Captain Cook, to him, at leaft, was referved the
honour of being foremoft in difcloling to us the extent of
fea that covers its furface. His own fummary view of the
tranfa6lions of this voyage, will be a proper conclulion to
thefe remarks : “ I had now made the circuit of the South-
“ ern Ocean in a high latitude, and traverfed it in fuch
a manner as to leave not the leaft room for there being
“ a continent, unlefs near the pole, and out of the reach
‘‘ of navigation. By twice vifiting the Tropical Sea, I had
not only fettled the fttuation of fome old difcoveries,
“ but made there many new ones, and left, 1 conceive,
“ very little to be done, even in that part. Thus I flatter
myfelf, that the intention of the voyage has, in every re-
‘‘ fpe(ft, been fully anfwered ; the Southern hemifphere
“ fufficiently explored ; and a final end put to the fearch-
“ ing after a Southern continent, which has, at times, en-
“ grofled the attention of fome of the Maritime Powers
“ for near two centuries paft, and been a favourite theory
“ amongft the geographers of all ages
Thus far, therefore, the voyages to difclofe new tracks
of navigation, and to reform old defecfts in geography, ap-
pear to have been profecuted with a fatisfacftory fhare of
fuccefs. A perufal of the foregoing fummary of what had
C’eft fort mal a-propos, qu’on a foutenu que cette repartition inegale ne fauroit ex-
ifter, fous pretexte que le globe perdroit fon equilibre, faute d’un contrepoids fuffifant
“ au pole meridionale. II eft vrai qu’un pied cube d’eau falee ne pefe pas autant qu’un
“ pied cube de terre ; mais on auroit du reflechir, qu’il peut y avoir fous I’ocean des lits
“ & des couches de matieres, dont la pefanteur fpeciflque varie a I’infini, & que le peu
“ de profondeur d’une mer, verfee fur une grande furface, contrebalance les endroits ou il
“ y a moins de mer, mais ou elle eft plus Y>^oionAe.”—Recherches Philofophiques^ Tom. ii.
P- 375-
* Cook’s Voyage, Vol. ii. p. 239.
d 2
xxvii
been
xxviii
INTRODUCTION.
been done, will enable every one to jndge what was ftill
wanting to complete the great plan of difcovery. The
Southern hemifphere had, indeed, been repeatedly vihted,
and its utmoft acceffible extremities been furveyed. But
much uncertainty, and, of courfe, great variety of opinion,
fublifted, as to the navigable extremities of our own hemi-
fphere ; particularly, as to the exiftence, or, at leaft, as to
the pradticability of a Northern paflage between the Atlan-
tic and Pacific Oceans, either by failing Eaftward, round
Afia, or Weftward, round North America.
It was obvious, that if fuch a paflage could be effecSled,
voyages to Japan and China, and, indeed, to the Eaft Indies
in general, would be much fliortened ; and confequently
become more profitable, than by making the tedious circuit
of the Cape of Good Hope. Accordingly, it became a fa-
vourite objedt of the Englifh to effedluate this, above two
centuries ago; and (to fay nothing of Cabot’s original at-'
tempt, in 1497, which ended in the difcovery of Newfound-
land, and the Labradore coaft) from Frobiflier’s firfl: voyage
to find a Weftern paflTage, in 1576, to thofe of James and of
Fox, in 1631, repeated trials had been made by our enter-
prizing adventurers. But though farther knowledge of the
Northern extent of America was obtained in the courfe of
thefe voyages, by the difcovery of Hudfon’s and Baffin’s
Bays, the wiflied-for paflage, on that fide, into the Pacific
Ocean, was ftill unattained. Our countrymen, and the
Dutch, were equally unfuccefsful, in various attempts, to
find this paflage in an Eaftern diredtion. Wood’s failure,
in 1676, feems to have clofed the long lift of unfortunate
Northern expeditions in that century ; and the difcovery,
if not abfolutely defpaired of, by having been fo often
mifled, ceafed, for many years, to be fought for.
Mr.
INTRODUCTION.
Mr. Dobbs, a warm advocate for the probability of a
North Weft paflage through Hudfon’s Bay, in our own time,
once more recalled the attention of this country to that un-
dertaking ; and, by his acftive zeal, and perfevering folici-
tation, renewed the fpirit of difcovery. But it was renewed
in vain. For Captain Middleton, fent out by Government
in 1741, and Captains Smith and Moore, by a private fociety,
in 1746, though encouraged by an a(ft of Parliament pafled
in the preceding year, that annexed a reward of twenty
thoufand pounds to the difcovery of a paflage, returned
from Hudfon’s Bay with reports of their proceedings, that
left the accomplifliment of this favourite obje6l at as great
a diftance as ever.
When refearches of this kind, no longer left to the fbli-
citation of an individual, or to the fubfcriptions of private
adventurers, became cheriflied by the Royal attention, in
the prefent reign, and warmly promoted by the Minifter at
the head of the naval department, it was impoflible, while
fo much was done toward exploring the remoteft corners of
the Southern hemifphere, that the Northern paflage fliould
not be attempted. Accordingly, while Captain Cook was
profecuting his voyage toward the South Pole, in 1773,
Lord Mulgrave failed with two fliips, to determine how far
navigation was pradiicable toward the North Pole, And
though his Lordfhip met with the fame infuperable bar to
his progrefs, which former navigators had experienced ’‘b
the hopes of opening a communication between the Pacific
and Atlantic Oceans, by a Northerly courfe, were not aban-
* See the hiftory of former attempts to fail toward the North Pole, in the Introdu<£l:ion
to Lord Mulgrave’s Journal. Mr. Barrington has colledled feveral inftances of ftiips
advancing to very high latitudes. See his Mifcellanies, p. i.-— 124.
xxix
doned ;
XXX
INTRODUCTION.
cloned ; and a voyage for that pnrpofe, was ordered to be
undertaken.
The operations propofed to be pnrfued, were fo new, fo
-extenfive, and fo various, that the Ikill and experience of
Captain Cook, it was thought, would be requifite to conduct
them. Without being liable to any charge of want of zeal
for the public fervice, he might have pafled the reft of his
days in the command to which he had been appointed in
Greenwich Hofpital, there to enjoy the fame he had dearly
earned in two circumnavigations of the world. But he
cheerfully rehnquiflied this honourable ftation at home ;
and, happy that the Earl of Sandwich had not caft his eye
upon any other Commander, engaged in the conduct of the
expedition, the hiftory of which is prefented to the Public
in thefe Volumes ; an expedition that would expofe him to
the toils and perils of a third circumnavigation, by a track
hitherto unattempted. Every former navigator round the
globe had made his paflage home to Europe by the Cape
of Good Hope ; the arduous tafk was now afligned to Cap-
tain Cook, of attempting it, by reaching the high Northern
latitudes betwen Afta and America. So that the ufual plan
of difcovery was reverfed ; and, inftead of a paflage from
the Atlantic to the Pacific, one from the latter into the for-
mer was to be tried. For it was wifely forefeen, that what-
ever openings or inlets there might be on the Eaft fide of
America, which lie in a direction that could give any hopes
of a paflage, the ultimate fuccefs of it would ftill depend
upon there being an open fea between the Weft fide of
that continent, and the extremities of Afia. Captain Cook,
therefore, was ordered to proceed into the Pacific Ocean,
through the chain of his new iflands in the Southern tropic,
and having crofifed the equator into its Northern Parts, then
to
INTRODUCTION.
xxxi
to hold fuch a courfe as might probably fix many intereft-
ing points in geography, and produce intermediate difco-
veries, in his progrefs Northward to the principal fcene of
his operations.
But the plan of the voyage, and the various objedts it em-
braced, will befi; appear from the Inftrudtions under which
Captain Cook failed ; and the infertion of them here, will
convey fuch authentic information, as may enable the Read-
er to judge with precifion how far they have been carried
into execution.
By the Commissioners for executing the Office of Lord
High Admiral of Great Britain and Ireland, &c.
SECRET INSTRUCTIONS for Captain James
Cook, Commander of his Majefty’s Sloop the Reso-
lution.
T^f^HEREAS the Earl of Sandwich has fignified to us his Majejly’s plea-
JurCy that an attempt Jhould be made to find out a Northern pajfage by
Jea from the Pacific to the Atlantic Ocean ; and whereas we have, in purfuance
thereof, caufed his Majefty's fioops Refolution and Difcovery to be fitted, in all
refpebls, proper to proceed upon a voyage for the purpofe above-mentioned, and,
from the experience we have had of your abilities and good conduct in your late
voyages, have thought fit to intruft you with the conduct of the prejent intended
voyage, and with that view appointed you to command the firji mentioned floop,
and direbted Captain Clerke, who commands the other, to follow your orders for
his further proceedings ; Tou are hereby required and directed to proceed with the
Jaid two fioops direbily to the Cape of Good Hope, unlefs you Jhall judge it necej-
fary to flop at Madeira, the Cape de Verd, or Canary Ifiands, to take in wine far
the ufe of their companies ; in which cafe you are at liberty to do fo, taking care
to remain there no longer than may be necejfary for that purpofe,
0«
'xxxii
I N T R .O D U G T I O N.
On your arrival at the Cape of Good Hope, you are to refreflj the /loops com-
panies, and to cauje the /loops to he /applied with as much provi/ions and water as
they can conveniently /low.
Tou are, if poffible, to leave the Cape of Good Hope by the end of Oblober, or
the beginning of November next, and proceed to the Southward in fearch of feme
ijlands /aid to have been lately feen by the French, in the latitude of o' South,
and about the meridian of Mauritius. In cafe you find thofe ijlands, you are to
examine them thoroughly for a good harbour ; and upon difeovering one, make the
neceffary obfervations to facilitate the finding it again ; as a good port, in that
fituation, may hereafter prove very ufeful, although it fhould afford little or nothing
more than Jhelter, wood, and water. You are not, however, to fpend too much
time in looking out for thofe ijlands, or in the examination of them, if found, but
proceed to Otaheite, or the Society IJles ( touching at New Zealand in your way
thither, if you, fhould judge it neceffary and convenient), and taking care to ar-
rive there time enough to admit of your giving the /loops companies the refre/h-
ment they may /land in need of, before you profecute the farther objebi of thefe
injlrublions.
Upon your arrival at Otaheite, or the Society IJles, you are to land Omiah at
fuch of them as he may choofe, and to leave him there.
Tou are to dijlribute among the Chiefs of thofe ijlands fuch part of the pre-
Jents with which you have been /applied, as you Jhall judge proper, referving the
remainder to diflribute among the natives of the countries you may dif cover in the
Northern Hemifphere : And having refrejhed the people belonging to the /loops un-
der your command, and taken on board fuch wood and water as they may refpec-
tively /land in need of, you are to leave thofe ijlands in the beginning of February,
or fooner if you Jhall judge it neceffary, and then proceed in as dire It a courfe as
you can to the coajl of New Albion, endeavouring to fall in with it in the latitude
of o' North-, amd taking care, in your way thither, not to lofe any time in
fearch of new lands, or to flop at any you may fall in with, unlefs you find it ne-
ceffary to recruit your wood and water.
You are alfo, in your way thither, Jiriblly enjoined not to touch upon any part
of the Spanifh dominions on the Weftern continent of America, unlefs driven thi-
ther by fome unavoidable accident-, in which cafe you are to flay no longer' there
than Jhall be abfolutely neceffary, and to be very careful not to give any umbrage
or offence to any of the inhabitants or fubjebls of his Catholic Majejly. And if,
in
INTRODUCTION.
in your farther progrefs to the Northward, as hereafter directed, you find any
fubjedls of any European Prince or State upon any part of the coaji you may think
proper to vifit, you are not to dijiurb them, or give them any juft caufe of offence,
but, on the contrary, to treat them with civility and friendfhip.
Upon your arrival on the coaJl of New Albion, you are to put into the firji con-
venient port to recruit your wood and water, and procure refreffments, and then
to proceed Northward along the coaji, as far as the latitude of 6 f, or farther,
if you are not objlrubled by lands or ice ; taking care not to lofe any time in ex-
ploring rivers or inlets, or upon any other account, until you get into the before-
mentioned latitude of 6 f , where we could wijh you to arrive in the month of June
next. When you get that length, you are very carefully to Jearch for, and to
explore, fuch rivers or inlets as may appear to be of a confiderable extent, and
pointing towards Hudfon’s or Baffin's Bays ; and if, from your own obfervations,
cr from any information you may receive from the natives ( who, there is reajon
to believe, are the fame race of people, and fpeak the fame language, of which you
are furnijhed with a Vocabulary, as the Efquimaux ), there Jhall appear to be a
certainty, or even a probability, of a water paffage into the afore-mentioned bays,
or either of them, you are, in fuch cafe, to ufe your utmojl endeavours to pafs
through with one or both of the Jloops, unlejs you Jhall be of opinion that the paf-
fage may be effebied with more certainty, or with greater probability , by fmaller
veffels j in which cafe you are to Jet up the frames of one or both the fmall
vejfels with which you are provided, and, when they are put together, and are
properly fitted, Jlored, and viblualled, you are to dijpatch one or both of them, un-
der the care of proper officers, with a fufficient number of 'petty officers, men, and
boats, in order to attempt the faid paffage j with fuch injlrubiions for their re-
joining you, if they Jhouldfail, or for their farther proceedings, if they fbould fuc-
ceed in the attempt, as you Jhall judge mojl proper. But, neverthelejs, if you
Jhall find it more eligible to purjue any. other meajures than thoje above pointed
out, in order to make a dijcovery of the before-mentioned paffage ( if any fuch
there be), you are at liberty, and we leave it to your dijcretion, to purjue fuch
meafures accordingly.
In cafe you Jhall be Jatisfied that there is no paffage through to the above-men-
tioned bays,Jufficient for the purpojes of navigation, you are, at the proper feafon
of the year, to repair to the port of St. Peter and St. Paul in Kamtjchatka, or
wherever elje you Jhall judge more proper, in order to refrejh your people and pafs
VOL. I. e tbd
xxxiii
XXXIV
INTRODUCTION,
the Winter-, and, in the Spring of the enjuingyear 1778, to proceed from thence
to the Northward, as far as, in your prudence, you may think proper, in further
fearch of a North Eaji, or North Weji paffage, from the Pacific Ocean into the
Atlantic Ocean, or the North Sea -, and if, from your own ohfervation, or any in-
formation you may receive, there fhall appear to be a probability of fuch a paffage,
you are to proceed as above direSled : and, having dif covered fuch paffage, or failed
in the attempt, make the beft of your way back to England, by fuch route as you
may think befi for the improvement of geography and navigation ; repairing to
Spithead with both fioops, where they are to remain till further order.
At whatever places you may touch in the courfe of your voyage, where accurate
obfervations of the nature hereafter mentioned have not already been made, you
are, as far as your time will allotv, very carefully to obferve the true fituation of
fuch places, both in latitude and longitude ; the variation of the needle ; bearings
of head-lands height, direSlion, and courfe of the tides and currents -, depths
and foundings of the fea ; Jhoals, rocks, ^c, ; and alfo to furvey, make charts,
and take views of fuch bays, harbours, and different parts of the coafi, and to
make fuch notations thereon, as may be ufeful either to navigation or commerce.
You are alfo carefully to obferve the nature of the foil, and the produce thereof ;
the animals and fowls that inhabit or frequent it -y the fijhes that are to be found
in the rivers or upon the coafi, and in what plenty -, and, in cafe there are any
peculiar to fuch places, to defcribe them as minutely, and to make as accurate
drawings of them, as you can : and, if you find any metals, 'minerals, or valuable
fiones, or any extraneous fofiils, you are to bring home fpecimens of each -, as alfo
of the feeds of fuch trees, fhrubs, plants, fruits, and grains, peculiar to thofe
places, as you may he able to colledt, and to tranfmit them to our Secretary, thcU
proper examination and experiments may be made of them. You are I fie wife to
obferve the genius, temper, difpofition, and number of the natives and inhabitants,
where you find any j and to endeavour, by all proper means, to cultivate a friend-
fhip with them making them prefents of fuch trinkets as you may have on board,
and they may like befi inviting them to traffic ; and fhewing them every kind of
civility and regard but taking care, never thelefs, not to fuffer yourf elf to be fur-
prized by them, but to be always on your guard againfi any accidents.
You are alfo, with the confent of the natives, to take poffieffion, in the name of
the King of Great Britain, of convenient fituations in fuch countries as you may
difcover, that have not already been dif covered or vifited by any other European
power j
INTRODUCTION..
XXXV
^ower-, and to diftribute among the inhabitants Juch things as will remain as
traces and teftimonies of your having been there ; but if you find the countries fo
difcovered are uninhabited^ you are to take poffeffion of them for his Majefiy, by
fetting up proper marks and infcriptions, as firft difcoverers and pojfejfors.
But forafmuch as, in undertakings of this nature, fever al emergencies may arife
not to be for efeen, and therefore not particularly to be provided for by inflrublions
before-hand ■, you are, in all fuch cafes, to proceed as you Jhall judge moft ad-
vantageous to the fervice on which you are employed.
T'ou are, by all opportunities, to fend to our Secretary, for our information,
accounts of your proceedings, and copies of the furveys and drawings you Jhall have
made j and upon your arrival in England, you are immediately to repair to this
office, in order to lay before us a full account of your proceedings in the whole courfe
of your voyage ; taking care, before you leave the floop, to demand fro^n the officers
and petty officers, the log-books and journals they may have kept, and to feal them
up for our infpebiion ; and enjoining them, and the whole crew, not to divulge
where they have been, until they Jhall have permiffion Jo to do : and you are to di-
reSl Captain Clerke to do the Jame, with reJpeSl to the officers, petty officers, and
crew of the Dijcovery.
If any accident Jhould happen to the Refolution in the courfe of the voyage, fo
as to difable her from proceeding any farther, you are, in fuch cafe, to remove
yourfelf and her crew into the Difcovery, and to profecute your voyage in her ; her
Commander being hereby Jlriblly required to receive you on board, and to obey
your orders, the Jame, in every reJpeSi, as when you were actually on board the
Rejolufion: And., in cafe of your inability, by ficknejs or otherwife, to carry
theje Infiruliions into exe.cution, you are to be careful to leave them with the
next officer in command, who is hereby required to execute them in the bejl man--.
ner he can.
Given under our hands the ^th day of July, 1776,
SANDWICH.
C. SPENCER.
H. P ALLIS ER.
By command of their Lordjhips,
PII. STEPHENS.
e 2
Befides
xxxvi
INTRODUCTION.
Befides ordering Captain Cook to fail on this important
voyage, Government, in earneft about the objedl of it,
adopted a meafure, which, while it' could not but have a
powerful operation on the crews of the Refolution and Dif-
covery, by adding the motives of intereft, to the obligations
of duty; at the fame time encouraged all his Majefty’s fub-
je6ts to engage in attempts toward the propofed difcovery.
By the a6l of parliament, palled in 1745 a reward of
twenty thoufand pounds had been held out. But it had been
held out only to the Ihips belonging to any of his Majejifs
fubjehls, exclulive of his Majelly’s own fhips. The adf had
a ftill more capital defedl. It held out this reward only to
fuch fhips as fhould difcover a palfage through Hudfon's Bay \
and, as we lliall foon take occalion to explain, it was, by this
time, pretty certain, that no fuch paflage exifted within thofe
limits. Effedlual care was taken to remedy both thefe de-
fedls, by palling a new law ; which, after reciting the pro-
vilions of the former, proceeds as follows : “ And whereas
“ many advantages, both to commerce and fcience, may be
‘‘ alfo expedfed from the difcovery of any Northern paffage
“ for velfels by fea, between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans
‘‘ — be it enadfed. That if any fhip belonging to any of his
“ Majefty’s fubjedfs, or to his Majejly, lhall find out, and
‘‘ fail through, any palfage by fea, between the Atlantic
‘‘ and Pacific Oceans, in any diredlion^ or parallel of the
“ Northern hemifphere, to the Northward of the 52° of
“ Northern latitude, the owners of fuch fhips, if belonging
“ to any of his Majefty’s fubjedls, or the commander^ officer Sy
“ and feameny of fuch Jljip belonging to his Majejiy, fhaU re-
‘‘ ceive, as a reward for fuch difcovery, the fum of twenty
“ thoufand pounds.
* See the Statutes at Large, i8 George II. chap. 17.
And
INTRODUCTION.
“ And whereas fliips employed, both in the Spitzbergen
“ Seas, and in Davis’s Straits, have frequent opportunities
“ of approaching the North Pole, though they have not
“ time, during the courfe of one fummer, to penetrate into
“ the Pacific Ocean : and whereas fuch approaches may
“ greatly tend to the difcovery of a communication between
“ the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, as well as be attended
“ with many advantages to commerce and fcience, See. be
“ it enacSted, That if any fliip fliall approach to within i°
‘‘ of the North Pole, the owner. See. or commander, &:c.
“ fo approaching, fhall receive, as a reward* for fuch firfl:
approach, the fum of five thoufand pounds
That nothing might be omitted that could facilitate the
fuccefs of Captain Cook’s expedition, fome time before he
failed, in the beginning of the fummer of 1776, Lieutenant
Pickerfgill, appointed Commander of his Majefty’s armed
brig the Lion, was ordered “ to proceed to Davis’s Straits,
“ for the protection of the Britifh whale fifhers and that
firft object being fecured, ‘‘ he was then required and di-
“ reCted to proceed up Baffin’s Bay, and explore the coalts
“ thereof, as far as in his judgment the fame could be done
without apparent rifk, taking care to leave the above
“ mentioned Bay fo timely, as to fecure his return to Eng-
“ land in the fall of the year and it was farther enjoined
to him, to make nautical remarks of every kind, and to
“ employ Mr. Lane (Matter of the veflel under his com-
“ mand) in furveying, making charts, and taking views of
“ the feveralbays, harbours, and different parts of the coalts
“ which he might vifit, and in making fuch notations there-
“ on as might be ufeful to geography and navigation +.”
* See the Statutes at Large, 1776, 16 George III. chap. 6.
t From his MS. InUrudlions, dated May 14, 1776.
xxxvii
Pickerfgill,
xxxviii
Refolutlon,
Difcovery.
INTRODUCTION.
Pickerfgill, we fee, was not to attempt the difcovery of
the paflage. He was directed to explore the coafts of Baf-
fin’s Bay, only to enable him to bring back, the fame year,
fome information, which might be an nfeful direction to-
ward planning an intended voyage into that bay the en-
fning fummer, to try for the difcovery of a palfage on that
fide, with a view to co-operate with Captain Cook ; who,
it was fuppofed (from the tenor of his inftruitions) would
be trying for this palfage, about the fame time, from the
oppofite fide of America.
Pickerfgill, obeying his infi:ru61;ions, at leafi: in this in-
fiance, did return that year ; but there were fufficient rea-
fons for not fending him out again ; and the command of
the next expedition into Baffin’s Bay was conferred on Lieu-
tenant Young; whofe Infirudtions, having an immediate
connexion with our voyage, are here inferted.
EXTRACT of INSTRUCTIONS to Lieutenant
Young, commanding the Lion armed Velfel, dated
13th March 1777.
pj^HEREAS, in purfuance of the King's pleajure, ftgnified to us by the
Earl of Sandwich^ his -Majefty's foops named in the margin have been
Jent out under the command of Captain Cook, in order, during this and the en-
Juing year, to attempt a difcovery of a , Northern pajfage, by fea, from the Pacific
to the Atlantic Ocean ; and, for that purpofe, to run up as high as the latitude
of 6 f North, where it is hoped he will be able to arrive in the month of June
next } and there, and as much further to the Northward as in his prudence he
Jhall think proper, very carefully to fearch for and explore fuch rivers or inlets as
may appear to be of a confiderable extent, and pointing to Hudjon's or Baffin's
Bays,
INTRODUCTION.
xxxist
Bays, or the North Sea ; and, upon finding any pajfage through, Jufficient for
the purpofes of navigation, to attempt Juch pajfage with one or both of the Jloops -,
or, if they are judged to be too large, with fmaller veffels, the frames of which
have been fent out with him for that purpofe : And whereas, in purfuance of his
Majefy's further pleafure,fignified as aforefaid, the armed vejfel under your com-
mand hath been fitted in order to proceed to Baffin s Bay, with a view to explore
the IVeflern parts thereof, and, to endeavour to find a pajfage, on that fide, from
the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean, and we have thought fit to intruji you with the
conduSi of that voyage j Tou are therefore hereby required and directed to put to
fea in the faid armed vejfel, without a moment's lofs of time, and make the beft of
your way into Baffin's Bay, and fo ufe your beft endeavours to explore the Weftern
Jhores thereof, as far as in your judgment the fame can be done, without apparent
rifque, and to examine fuch confiderable rivers or inlets as you may dif cover j and,
in cafe you find any, through which there may be a probability of pajfing into the
Pacific Ocean, you are to attempt fuch pajfage •, and if you fucceed in the attempt,
and fhall be able to repafs it again, fo as to return to England this year, you are
to make the beft of your way to Spithead, or the Nore, and remain there until you
receive further order ; fending us an account of your arrival and proceedings.
But if you ftsall fucceed in the attempt, and fhall find the feafon too far advanced
for you to return the fame way, you are then to look out for the moft convenient
place to winter in, and to endeavour to return by the faid pajfage as early in the
next year as the feafon will admit, and then to make the beft of your way to Eng-
land, as above direbled.
In cafe, however, you fhould not find, or Jhould be fatisfied there is not any
probability of finding, any fuch pajfage, or, finding it, you fhould not be able to get
through in the vejfel you command, you are then to return to England, as before
mentioned, unlefs you fhall find any branch of the fea leading to the Weftward
which you fhall judge likely to afford a communication between the Atlantic and
Pacific Oceans, and which you fhall not be able to explore in the courfe of this
year, it being, in that cafe, left to your difcretion to flay the Winter in the moft
commodious fituation you can find, in order to purfue the dijcovery next year, if you
floall find it advifable fo to do ; and, having difcovered fuch pajfage, or not fuc-
ceeded in the attempt, you are to make the beft of your way to England, as above
direlied.
It
xl
INTRODUCTION.
It was natural to hope, that fomething would have been
done in one or other, or in both thefe voyages of the Lion,
that might have opened our views with regard to the prac-
ticability of a paffage from this fide of America. But, un-
fortunately, the execution did not anfwer the expecSlations
conceived. Pickerfgill, who had acquired profeffional ex-
perience when acting under Captain Cook, juftly merited
the cenfure he received, for improper behaviour when in-
trufted with command in Davis’s Strait ; and the talents of
Young, as it afterward appeared, were more adapted to
contribute to the glory of a vidlory, as Commander of a line
of battle fliip, than to add to geographical difcoveries, by
encountering mountains of ice, and exploring unknown
coafts '-'b
Both Pickerfgill and Young having been ordered to pro-
ceed into Baffin’s Bay ; and Captain Cook being diredled
not to begin his fearch till he ffiould arrive in the latitude of
65°, it may not be improper to fay fomething here of the
reafons which weighed with thofe who planned the voyages,
and framed the inftrucStions, to carry their views fo far
Northward, as the proper htuation, where the paffage, if it
exifted at all, was likely to be attempted with fuccefs. It
may be afked. Why was Hudfon’s Bay neglected on our
fide of America ; and why was not Captain Cook ordered to
begin his fearch on its oppofite fide, in much lower lati-
* In the Philofophical Tranfaftions, Vol. Ixviii. p. 1057, track of
Pickerfgill’s voyage, which, probably, may be of ufe to our Greenland fhips, as it con-
tains many obfervations for fixing the longitude and latitude of the coafts in Davis’s Strait.
But it appears that he never entered Baffin’s Bay, the higheft Northern latitude to which
he advanced being 68° 14^. As to Young’s proceedings, having failed abfolutely in
making any difcovery, it is of lefs confequence, that no communication of his journal
..could be procured ^
tudes ?
INTRODUCTION.
xli
tildes ? Particularly, why not explore the ftrait leading into
the Weftern fea of John de Fuca, between the latitudes of
47° and 48° ; the Archipelago of St. Lazarus of Admiral de
Fonte, between 50° and 55° ; and the rivers and lakes
through which he found a paflage North Eaftward, till he
met with a fhip from Bofton ?
As to the pretended difcoveries of de Fuca, the Greek
Pilot, or of de Fonte, the Spanifli Admiral, though they
have fometimes found their way into fidlitious maps, or
have been warmly contended for by the efpoufers of fan-
ciful fyftems ; to have diredted Captain Cook to fpend any
time in tracing them, would have been as wife a meafure
as if he had been dire(51;ed to trace the lituation of Lilli-
put or Brobdignag. The latter are, indeed, confelTedly,
mere objects of imagination ; and the former, deftitute of
any fufficient external evidence, bear fo many ftriking
marks of internal abfurdity, as warrant our pronouncing
them to be the fabric of impofture. Captain Cook’s in-
Itru6tions were founded on an accurate knowledge of what
had been already done, and of what Rill remained to do ;
and this knowledge pointed out the inutility of begin-
ning his fearch for a paffage till his arrival in the lati-
tude of 65°. Of this every fair and capable inquirer will
be abundantly convinced, by an attention to the following
particulars.
Middleton, who commanded the expedition in 1741 and
1742, into Hudfon’s Bay, had proceeded farther North than
any of his predeceflbrs in that navigation. But though,
from his former acquaintance with that Bay, to which he
had frequently failed in the fervice of the Company, he
had entertained hopes of finding out a paflage through it
into the Pacific Ocean, the obfervations which he was now
VoL. I. f enabled
xlii
I N T R OiD U C T I O N.
enabled to make, induced him to change his opinion ; and,
on his return to England, he made an unfavourable report.
Mr. Dobbs, the patron of the enterprize, did not acquiefce
in this ; and, fortified in his original idea of the pra6tica-
bility of the paflage, by the teftimony of fome of Mid-
dleton’s officers, he appealed to the Public, accufing him
of having mifreprefented fa£ts, and of having, from in-
terefted motives, in concert with the Hudfon’s Bay Com-
pany, decided againff; the practicability of the pafTage,
though the difcoveries of his own voyage had put it with-
in his reach.
He had, between the latitude of 65° and 66°, found a very
confiderable inlet running Weftward, into which he entered
with his fhips ; and, “ after repeated trials of the tides, and
‘‘ endeavours to difcover the nature and courfe of the
“ opening, for three weeks fucceffively, he found the flood
“ conftantly to come from the Eaftward, and that it was a
“ large river he had got into,” to which he gave the name
of Wager River
The accuracy, or rather the fidelity of this report was
denied by Mr. Dobbs, who contended that this opening is a
Strait^ and not a frejh water river, and that Middleton, if
he had examined it properly, would have found a paflage
through it to the Weftern American Ocean. The failure
of this voyage, therefore, only ferved to furnifh our zeal-
ous advocate for the difcovery, with new arguments for at-
tempting it once more ; and he had the good fortune, after
getting the reward of twenty thoufand pounds eftabliflied
by acSt of parliament, to prevail upon a fociety of gentle-
men and merchants to fit out the Dobbs and California ;
which (hips, it was hoped, would be able to find their way
* See the Abftradl of his Journal, publiftied by Mr. Dobbs.
inta
INTRODUCTION.
xliii
into the Pacific Ocean, by the very opening which Middle-
ton’s voyage had pointed out, and which he was believed to
have mifreprefented.
This renovation of hope only produced frefh difappoint-
ment. For it is well known, that the voyage of the Dobbs
and California, inftead of confuting, ftrongly confirmed all
that Middleton had afierted. The fuppofed Strait was found
to be nothing more than a frefli water river, and its utmofi:
Weftern navigable boundaries were now afcertained, by ac-
curate examination. But though Wager’s Strait had thus
difappointed our hopes, as had alfo done Rankin’s Inlet,
which was now found to be a clofe Bay ; and though other
arguments, founded on the fuppofed courfe of the tides in
Hudfon’s Bay, appeared to be groundlefs ; fuch is our at-
tachment to an opinion once adopted, that, even after the
unfuccefsful iffue of the voyage of the Dobbs and Califor-
nia, a pafiage through fome other place in that Bay was,
by many, confidered as attainable ; and, particularly, Chef-
terfield’s (formerly called Bowden’s) Inlet, lying between
latitude 63° and 64°, fucceeded Wager’s Strait, in the fan-
guine expedlations of thofe who remained unconvinced by
former difappointments. Mr. Ellis, who was on board the
Dobbs, and who wrote the hiftory of the voyage, holds
up this as one of the places where the paffage may be
fought for, upon very rational grounds^ and with very good
effedls He alfo mentions Repulfe Bay, nearly in latitude
67° ; but as to this he fpeaks lefs confidently ; only faying,
that by an attempt there, we might probably approach
nearer to the difcovery t. He had good reafon for thus
guarding his expreflion ; for the Committee, who directed
this voyage, admitting the impracSticability of effedling a
* Ellis’s Voyage, p. 328.
t Ibid. p. 330.
f 2
xliv
INTRODUCTION.
paflage at Repulfe Bay, had refufed allowing the Ihips ta
go into it, being fatisfied as to that place
Setting Repulfe Bay, therefore, alide, within which we
have no reafon for believing that any inlet exifts, there
did not remain any part of Hiidfon’s Bay to be fearched,
but Chefterfield’s Inlet, and a fmall tradf of coaft between
the latitude 62% and what is called the South Point of
Main, which had been left unexplored by the Dobbs and
California.
But this laft gleam of hope has now difappeared. The
averlion of the Hudfon’s Bay Company to contribute any
thing to the difcovery of a North Weft paflage, had been
loudly reported by Mr. Dobbs ; and the Public leemed to be-
lieve that the charge was well founded. But ftiU, in juftice
to them, it muft be allowed, that, in 1720, they had fent
Meflfs. Knight and Barlow, in a floop on this very difco-
very ; but thefe unfortunate people were never more heard
of. Mr. Scroggs, who failed in fearch of them, in 1722,
only brought back proofs of their ftiipwreck, but no frefti
intelligence about a paflage, which he was alfo to look for.
They alfo fent a floop, and a fliallop, to try for this difco-
very, in 1737 ; but to no purpofe. If obftrucftions were
thrown in the way of Captain Middleton, and of the Com-
manders of the Dobbs and California, the Governor and
Committee of the Hudfon’s Bay Company, fince that time,
we muft acknowledge, have made amends for the narrow
prejudices of their predeceflbrs ; and we have it in our
power to appeal to fa(fts, which abundantly teftify, that
* Account of the Voyage, by the Clerk of the California, Vol. ii. p. 273. Mr.
Dobbs himfelf fays. That he thought the pajfage would be impraSlicable^ or^ at leajl.y very
difficulty in cafe there was one farther North than 67°.— Account of Hudfon’s Bay,
p. 99.
every
INTR^JDUGTION.
xlv
every thing has been done by them, that could be required
by the Public, toward perfecting the fearch for a North
Weft paflage.
In the year 1761, Captain Chriftopher failed from Fort
Churchill, in the Hoop Churchill ; and his voyage was not
quite fruitlefs ; for he failed up Chefterfield’s Inlet, through
which a paflage had, by Mr. Ellis’s account of it, been fo
generally expeCled. But when the water turned brackifli,
which marked that he was not in a ftrait, but in a river,
he returned.
To leave no room for a variety of opinion, however, he
was ordered to repeat the voyage the enfuing fummer, in
the fame floop, and Mr. Norton, in a cutter, was appointed
to attend him. By the favour of the Governor and Com-
mittee of the Company, the Journals of Captain Chrifto-
pher, and of Mr. Norton, and Captain Chriftopher’s chart
of the Inlet, have been readily communicated. From
thefe authentic documents, it appears that the fearch and
examination of Chefterfield’s Inlet was now completed. It
was found to end in a frefh water lake, at the diftance of
about one hundred and feventy miles from the fea. This
lake was found alfo to be about twenty-one leagues long,
and from five to ten broad, and to be completely clofed
up on every fide, except to the Weft, where there was a
little rivulet ; to furvey the ftate of which, Mr. Norton
and the crew of the cutter having landed, and marched
up the country, faw that it foon terminated in three falls,
one above another, and not water for a fmall boat over
them ; and ridges, moftly dry from fide to fide, for five or
fix miles higher.
Thus ends Chefterfield’s Inlet, and all Mr. Ellis’s expedta-
tions of a paffage through it to the Weftern Ocean. The
other
I N‘ T R O D U C'T I O N.
xhd
other parts of the coaft, from latitude 62°, to the South Point
of Main, within which limits hopes were alfo entertained
of finding a paflage, have, of late years, been thoroughly
explored. It is here that Piftol Bay is fituated ; which the
author who has writ lafi: in this country, on the probability
of a North Wefl paffage *, fpeaks of as the only remaining
part of Hudfon’s Bay where this Weftern communication
may exift. But this has been alfo examined ; and, on the
authority of Captain Chriftopher, we can affure the Reader,
that there is no inlet of any confequence in all that part of
the coaft. Nay, he has, in an open boat, failed round the
bottom of what is called Piftol Bay, and, inftead of a paf-
fage to a Weftern Sea, found it does not run above three
or four miles inland.
Befides thefe voyages by fea, which fatisfy us, that we
muft not look fot a paflage to the South of 67° of latitude ;
we are indebted to the Hudfon’s Bay Company, for a jour-
ney by land, which has thrown much additional light on
this matter, by affording what may be called demonftra-
tion, how much farther North, at leaft in fome part of their
voyage, fliips muft hold their courfe, before they can pafs
from one fide of America to the other. The Northern In-
dians, who come down to the Company’s forts for trade,
had brought to the knowledge of our people, the exiftence
of a river ; which, from copper abounding near it, had got
the name of the Copper-mine River. We read much about
this river in Mr. Dobbs’s publications, and he confiders the
Indian accounts of it as favourable to his fyftem. The Com-
pany being defirous of examining the matter with precifion,
* Printed for Jeffreys, in 1768. His words are, “ There remains then to be
, fearched for the difcovery of a palfage, the opening called Piftol Bay, in Hudfon’s
Bay.” P. 122,
inftrufted
INTRODUCTION.
xlvii
inftru6led their Governor of Prince of Wales’s Fort, to fend
a proper perfon to travel by land, under the efcort of fome
trully Northern Indians, with orders to proceed to this
famous river, to take an accurate furvey of its courfe, and
to trace it to the fea, into which it empties itfelf. Mr.
Hearne, a young gentleman in their fervice, who^ having
been an officer in the Navy, was well qualified to make ob-
fervations for fixing the longitude and latitude, and make
drawings of the country he ffiould pafs through, and of
the river which he was to examine, was appointed for this
fervice.
Accordingly, he fet out from Fort Prince of Wales, on
Churchill River, in latitude 58° 50', on the 7th of Decem-
ber 1770 ; and the whole of his proceedings, from time to
time, are faithfully preferved in his written Journal. The
publication of this would not be an unacceptable prefent to
the world, as it draws a plain artlefs picture of the favage
modes of life, the fcanty means of fubffilence, and indeed
of the fingular wretchednefs, in every refpe(5t, of the vari-
ous tribes, who, without fixed habitations, pafs their mi-
ferable lives, roving throughout the dreary deferts, and
over the frozen lakes of the immenfe tradf of continent
through which Mr. Hearne paffed, and which he may be
faid to have added to the geography of the globe. His ge-
neral courfe was to the North Weft. In the month of June
1771, being then at a place called Conge catha wha Chaga^ he
had, to ufe his own words, two good obfervations^ both by
meridian and double altitudes^ the mean of which determines
this place to be in latitude 68° 46' North, and, by account,
in longitude 24° 2' Weft of Churchill River, On the 13th
of July (having left Conge catha wha Chaga on the 2d,
and travelling ftill to the Weft of North) he reached the
Copper-
xlviii
INTRODUCTION.
Copper-mine River ; and was not a little furprized to find
it differ fo much from the defcriptions given of it by the
natives at the fort ; for, inftead of being likely to be navi-
gable for a fliip, it is, at this part, fcarcely navigable for an
Indian canoe ; three falls being in fight, at one view, and
being choaked up with flioals and ftony ridges.
Here Mr. Hearne began his furvey of the river. This he
continued till he arrived at its mouth, near which his
Northern Indians maffacred twenty-one Efquimaiix, whom
they furprized in their tents. We fliall give Mr. Hearne’s
account of his arrival at the fea, in his own words : “ After
“ the Indians had plundered the tents of the Efquimaux of
“ all the copper, &c. they were then again ready to aflift
“ me in making an end to the furvey ; the fea then in fight
from the North Weft by Weft to the North Eaft, diftant
“ about eight miles. It was then about five in the morning
of the 17th, when I again proceeded to furvey the river to
‘‘ the mouth, ftill found, in every refpedf, no ways likely,
or a poflibility of being made navigable, bejjjg full of
“ llioals and falls ; and, at the entrance, the river emptying
itfelf over a dry flat of the fhore. For the tide was then
‘‘ out, and feemed, by the edges of the ice, to flow about
“ twelve or fourteen feet, which will only reach a little
“ within the river’s mouth. That being the cafe, the wa-
ter in the river had not the leaft brackifli tafte. But I am
fure of its being the fea, or fome part thereof, by the
quantity of whale-bone and feal-fkins the Efquimaux had
‘‘ at their tents ; as’ alfo the number of feals which I faw
“ upon the ice. The fea, at the river’s mouth, was full
“ of iflands and llioals, as far as I could fee, by the aflift-
ance of a pocket telefcope ; and the ice was not yet broken
up, only thawed away about three quarters of a mile
from
INTRODUCTION.
“ from the fliore, and a little way round the iflands and
“ flioals.
‘‘By the time I had completed this furvey, it was about
“ one in the morning of the i8th; but in thefe high la-
“ titudes, and this time of the year, the fun is always a
“ good height above the horizon. It then came on a thick
“ drizzling rain, with a thick fog ; and, as finding the river
“ and fea, in every refpecSt, not likely to be of any utility,
“ I did not think it worth while to wait for fair weather, to
“ determine the latitude exa6fly by an obfervation. But, by
“ the extraordinary care I took in obferving the courfes
“ and diftances, walked from Congecathawbachaga, where
“ I had two good obfervations, the latitude may be de-
“ pended on, within twenty miles at fartheft.”
From the map which Mr. Hearne conftrutTed of the
country through which he paffed, in this lingular journey,
and which we have been permitted to copy upon our gene-
ral chart, it appears that the mouth of the Copper-mine
River lies in the latitude 72°, and above 25° Weft longitude
from the fort, from whence he took his departure
The confequences refulting from this extenfive difcovery,
are obvious. We now fee that the continent of North Ame-
rica ft retches from Hudfon’s Bay fo far to the North Weft,
that Mr. Hearne had travelled near thirteen hundred miles
before he arrived at the fea. His moft Weftern diftance
from the coaft of Hudfon’s Bay was near fix hundred
* Mr. Hearne ’s journey, back from the Copper-mine River, to Fort Prince of Wales,
lafted till June 30, 1772. From his firft fetting out till his return, he had employed
near a year and feven months. The unparalleled hardlhips he fuffered, and the eflential
fcrvice he performed, met with a fuitable reward from his mafters, and he is now the Go-
vernor of Fort Prince of Wales, where he was taken prifoner by the French in 17825
and laft fummer returned to his Ration.
VoL. I.
xliK
g
miles ;
1
INTRODUCTION.
miles "'i'* ; and that his Indian guides were well apprized of
a vaft tradt of continent ftretching farther on in that direc-
tion, is certain from many circumftances mentioned in his
Journal ; one of which, as, belides eftablifliing this fa6t, it
prefents us with a very ftriking picture of favage Jife, has
been tranfcribed in the following note t.
What
* The Hudfon’s Bay Company have a trading poft, called Hudfori’s Houfe, above five
hundred miles up the country, in lat. 53° o'' 32''', and in long. 106° 27'' 30''.
f This day, Jan. ii, 1772, as the Indians were hunting, fome of them faw a ftrange
fnow-fhoe track, which they followed, and at a confiderable diftance came to a little hut^
where they found a young woman fitting alone. They brought her to the tents ; and,
on examining her, found that fhe was one of the Weftern Dog-ribbed Indians, and had
been taken prifoner by the Arathapefcow Indians in the fummer 1770 ; and when the In-
dians, who took her prifoner, were near this part in the fummer 1771, fhe eloped from
them, with an intent to return to her own country ; but it being fo far ojf and, after being
taken prifoner, having come the whole way in canoes, with the winding of rivers and
lakes, fhe had forgot the way ; and had been in this little hut ever fince the firft fetting
in of the fall. By her account of the moons paft, fince her elopement, it appears to be
the middle of laft July when fhe left the Arathapefcow Indians, and had not feen a hu-
man face ever fince. She fupported herfelf very well by fnaring of rabbits, partridges,
and fquirrels, and was now in good health and flefh j and, I think, as fine a woman, of a
real Indian, as I have feen in any part of North America. She had nothing to make
fnares of but the fmews of rabbits legs and feet, which fhe twifted together for that pur-
pofe ; and of the rabbits fkins had made herfelf a neat and warm winter’s clothing. The
flock of materials fhe took with her, when fhe eloped, confifted of about five inches of an
iron hoop for a knife ; a ftone fteel, and other hard ftones as flints, together with other
fire tackle, as tinder, &c. ; about an inch and half of the fhank of the fhoeing of an ar-
row, of iron, of which fhe made an awl. She had not been long at the tents, when half
a fcore of men wreftled to fee who fhould have her for their wife. She fays, when the
Arathapefcow Indians took her prifoner, that they ftole on the tents in the night, when
the inhabitants were all afleep, and killed every foul except herfelf and three other young
women. Her father, mother, and hufband were in the fame tent with her, and they were
all killed. Her child, of about five months old, fhe took with her, wrapped in a bundle of
her clothing, undifcovered, in the night. But when arrived at the place where the Ara-
thapefcows had left their wives, which was not far ofF, it being then day-break, thefe In-
dian women immediately began to examine her bundle j and having there found the child,
took
INTRODUCTION.
li
What is now, for the firft time, authentically laid before
the Public, with regard to the difcoveries made by the
Hudfon’s Bay Company, was well known to the noble Lord
who prefided at the board of Admiralty, when this voyage
was undertaken ; and the intimate conne6lion of thofe dif-
coveries with the Plan of the Voyage, of courfe, regulated
the inftrudlions given to Captain Cook.
And now, may we not take it upon us to appeal to every
candid and capable inquirer, whether that part of the in-
ftrudlions which diredfed the Captain not to lofe time^ in
exploring rivers or inlets^ or upon any other account^ till he
got into the latitude of 65°, was not framed judicioully ;
as there were fuch indubitable proofs that no paiTage ex-
ifted fo far to the South as any part of Hudfon’s Bay, and
that, if a paffage could be effedted at all, part of it, at
leaft, muft be traverfed by the fliips as far to the North-
ward as the latitude 72°, where Mr. Hearne arrived at
the fea ?
We may add, as a farther conhderation in fupport of this
article of the Inifrudlions, that Beering’s Afiatic difcoveries,
in 1728, having traced that continent to the latitude of 67°,
Captain Cook’s approach toward that latitude was to be
wiflied for, that he might be enabled to bring back more
took it from her and killed it immediately. The relation of this {hocking fcene only
ferved the favages of my gang for laughter. Her country is fo far to the Wejlward^ that fhe
fays {he never faw any iron, or other kind of metal, till taken prifoner j thofe of her tribe
making their hatchets and chifels of deers horns, and knives of ftone and bone ; their ar-
rows are {hod with a kind of Hate, bones, and deers horns ; and their inftruments, to make
their wood work, are nothing but beavers teeth. They have frequently heard of the ufe-
ful materials the nations to the Eaft of them are fupplied with from the Englilh ; but,
inftead of drawing nearer to be in the way of trading for Iron work, &c. are obliged to
retreat fartlier back, to avoid the Arathapefcow Indians, as they make furpri:&ing {laughter
amongft them every year, both winter and fummer. Hearne’s MS. Journal.
g 2 authentic
lii
INTRODUCTION.
authentic information than the world had hitherto ob-
tained, about the relative lituation and vicinity of the two
continents, which was abfolutely neceffary to be known,
before the practicability of failing between the Pacific and
Atlantic Oceans, in any Northern direction, could be afcer-
tained.
After all, that fearch, in a lower latitude, which they
who give credit (if any fuch there now be) to the pretended
difcoveries of de Fonte, affeCt to wifli had been recommend-
ed to Captain Cook, has (if that will cure them of their
credulity) been fatisfaCtorily made. The Spaniards, roufed
from their lethargy by our voyages, and having caught a
fpark of enterprize from our repeated vifits to the Pacific
Ocean, have followed us more than once into the line of our
difcoveries within the Southern tropic ; and have alfo fitted
out expeditions to explore the American continent to the
North of California. It is to be lamented, that there fliould
be any reafons why the tranfaClions of thofe Spanifii voyages
have not been fully difclofed, with the fame liberal fpirit of
information which other nations have adopted. But, for-
tunately, this excelfive caution of the court of Spain has
been defeated, at lead: in one inftance, by the publication of
an authentic Journal of their laid voyage of difcovery upon
the coaft of America, in 1775, for which the world is in-
debted to the Honourable Mr. Daines Barrington. This
publication, which conveys fome information of real con-
fequence to geography, and has therefore been referred to
more than once in the following work, is particularly va-
luable in this refpedl, that fome parts of the coaft which
Captain Cook, in his progrefs Northward, was prevented,
by unfavourable winds, from approaching, were feen and
examined by the Spanifli fhips who preceded him ; and
the
INTRODUCTION.
liii
the perufal of the following extradf from their Journal,
may be recommended to thofe (if any fuch there be) who
would reprefent it as an imperfection in Captain Cook’s
voyage, that he had not an opportunity of examining the
coaft of America, in the latitude affigned to the difcoveries
of Admiral Fonte. ‘‘We now attempted to find out the
“ flraits of Admiral Fonte, though, as yet, we had not dif-
“ covered the Archipelago of St. Lazarus, through which
“ he is faid to have failed. With this intent, we fearched
“ every bay and recefs of the coaft, and failed round every
“ headland, lying to in the night, that we might not lofe
“ fight of this entrance. After thefe pains taken-^ and being
“ favoured by a North Weft wind, it may be pronounced that
“ no fuch flraits are to be found
In this Journal, the Spaniards boaft of “ having reached
“ fo high a latitude as 58°, beyond what any other naviga-
“ tors had been able to effeCt in thofe feas t.” Without
dimin idling the merit of their performance, we may be
permitted to fay that it will appear very inconfiderable, in-
deed, in comparifon of what Captain Cook effected, in the
voyage of which an account is given in thefe volumes. Be^
fides exploring the land in the South Indian Ocean, of which
Kerguelen, in two voyages, had been able to obtain but a
very imperfeCt knowledge ; adding alfo many confiderable
acceflions to the geography of the Friendly Iflands ; and
difcovering the noble group, now called Sandwich Iflands,
in the Northern part of the Pacific Ocean, of which not
* Journal of a voyage in 1775 by Don Francifco Antonio Maurelle, in Mr. Barring-
ton’s Mifcellanies, p. 508.
t Ibid. p. 507. We learn from Maurelle’s Journal that another voyage had been fome
time before performed upon the coaft of America j but the utmoft Northern progrefs of
it was to latitude 55°.
the
iiv
INTRODUCTION.
the fainteft trace can be met with in the account of any
former voyage ; hehdes thefe preliminary difcoveries, the
Reader of the following work will find, that in one fum-
mer, our Englifli Navigator difcovered a much larger pro-
portion of the North Weft coaft of America than the Spa-
niards, though fettled in the neighbourhood, had, in all
their attempts, for above two hundred years, been able to
do ; That he has put it beyond all doubt that Beering and
Tfcherikoff had really difcovered the continent of America
inT74r, and has alfo eftablifhed the prolongation of that
continent Weft ward oppofite Kamtfchatka, which fpecula-
tive writers, wedded to favourite fyftems, had affecfted fo
much to difbelieve and which, though admitted by Mul-
ler, had, fince he wrote, been confidered as difproved by
later Ruffian difcoveries t ; That, befides afcertaining the
true pofition of the Weftern coafts of America, with fome
inconfiderable interruptions, from latitude 44° up to beyond
the latitude 70“, he has alfo afcertained the pofition of the
North Eaftern extremity of Afia, by confirming Beering’s
difcoveries in 1728, and adding extenfive acceffions of his
own ; That he has given us more authentic information
concerning the iflands lying between the two continents,
than the Kamtfchatka traders, ever fince Beering firft taught
* Dr. Campbell, fpeaking of Beering’s voyage in 1741, fays, “Nothing can be plainer
“ than this truth, that his difcovery does not warrant any fuch fuppofition, as that the
“ country he touched at was a great continent making part of North America.”
t See Coxe’s Ruffian Difcoveries, p. 26, 27, &c. The fidlions of fpeculative geo-
graphers in the Southern hemifphere, have been continents ; in the Northern hemifphere,
they have been feas. It may be obferved, therefore, that if Captain Cook in his firft
voyages annihilated imaginary Southern lands, he has made amends for the havock, in his
third voyage, by annihilating imaginary Northern feas, and filling up the vaft fpace,
which had been allotted to them, with the folid contents of his new difcoveries of Ame-
rican land farther Weft and North than had hitherto been traced.
them
INTRODUCTION.
Iv
th^m to venture on this fea, had been able to procure ;
That, by fixing the relative fituation of Afia and America,
and difcovering the narrow bounds of the firait that divides
them, he has thrown a blaze of light upon this important
part of the geography of the globe, and folved the puzzling
problem about the peopling of America, by tribes deftitute
of the neceflary means to attempt long navigations ; and,
laftly. That, though the principal object of the voyage fail-
ed, the world will be greatly benefited even by the failure,
as it has brought us to the knowledge of the exiftence of
the impediments, which future navigators may expert to
meet with in attempting to go to the Eaft Indies through
Beering’s firait.
The extended review we have taken of the preceding
voyages, and the general outline we have Iketched out, of
the tranfacfiions of the lafi, which are recorded at full
length in thefe volumes, will not, it is hoped, be confidered
as a prolix or unneceflary detail. It will ferve to give a
jufi notion of the whole plan of difcovery executed by his
Majefiy’s commands. And it appearing that much was
aimed at, and much accompliflied, in the unknown parts
of the globe, in both hemifpheres, there needs no other
* The Ruffians feem to owe much to England, in matters of this fort. It is fingular
enough that one of our countrymen, Dr. Campbell [See his edition of Harris’s voyages,
Vol. ii. p. 1021.] has preferred many valuable particulars of Beering’s firft voyage, of
which Muller himfelf, the Hiftorian of their earlier difcoveries, makes no mention ; that
it fhould be another of our countrymen, Mr. Coxe, who firft publiftied a fatisfadfory ac-
count of their later difcoveries ; and that the King of Great Britain’s fhips fhould tra-
verfe the globe in 1778, to confirm to the Ruffian empire the pofleffion of near thirty
degrees, or above fix hundred miles, of continent, which Mr. Engel, in his zeal for the
pradlicability of a North Eaft paflage, would pnme away from the length of Afia to the
Eaftward. See his Memoires Geograpbiques^ &c. Laufanne 1765 ; which, however, con-
tains much real information ; and many parts of which are confirmed by Captain
Cook’s American difcoveries.
confideration,
INTRODUCTION.
1 •
conRderation, to give full fatisfa^Iion to thofe who poffefs
an enlarged way of thinking, that a variety of ufeful pur-
pofes muft have been elfedted by thefe refearches. But
there are others, no doubt, who, too diffident of their own
abilities, or too indolent to exert them, would wiffi to have
their reflections affifted, by pointing out what thofe ufeful
purpofes are. For the fervice of fuch, the following enu-
meration of particulars is entered upon. And if there
fhould be any, who affeCt to undervalue the plan or the
execution of our voyages, what fliall now be offered, if it
do not convince them, may, at leaft, check the influence of
their unfavourable deciflon.
I. It may be fairly confldered, as one great advantage
accruing to the world from our late furveys of the globe,
that they have confuted fanciful theories, too likely to give
birth to impracticable undertakings.
After Captain Cook’s perfevering and fruitlefs traverfes
through every corner of the Southern hemifphere, who, for
the future, will pay any attention to the ingenious reveries of
Campbell, de Brofles, and de Buffbn ? or hope to eftabliffi an
intercourfe with fuch a continent as Maupertuis’s fruitful
imagination had pictured ? A continent equal, at leaft, in ex-
tent, to all the civilized countries in the known Northern
hemifphere, where new men, new animals, new produdtions
of every kind, might be brought forward to our view, and
difeoveries be made, which would open inexhauftible trea-
fures of commerce We can now boldly take it upon us
* See Maupertuis’s Letter to the King of Pruffia. The author of the Preliminary
Difeourfe to Bougainville’s Voyage aux IJles Malouines^ computes that the Southern con-
tinent (for the exiftence of which, he owns, we muft depend more on the conjedfures of
philofophers, than on the teftimony of voyagers) contains eight or ten millions of fquare
leagues .
to
INTRODUCTION.
Ivii
to difcourage all expeditions, formed on fuch reafonings
of fpeculative philofophers, into a quarter of the globe,
where our perfevering Englhli navigator, inftead of this
promifed fairy land, found nothing but barren rocks,
fcarcely affording flielter to penguins and feals ; and dreary
feas, and mountains of ice, occupying the immenfe fpace
allotted to imaginary paradifes, and the only treafures there
to be difcovered, to reward the toil, and to compenfate the
dangers of the unavailing fearch.
Or, if we carry our refie(Tions into the Northern hemi-
fphere, could Mr. Dobbs have made a fingle convert, much
lefs could he have been the fuccefsful folicitor of two dif-
ferent expeditions, and have met with encouragement from
the legillature, with regard to his favourite paffage through
Hudfon’s Bay, if Captain Chriftopher had previoufly ex-
plored its coafts, and if Mr. Hearne had walked over the im-
menfe continent behind it ? Whether, after Captain Cook’s
and Captain Clerke’s difcoveries on the Weft fide of Ame-
rica, and their report of the ftate of Beering’s Strait, there
can be fufiicient encouragement to make future attempts
to penetrate into the Pacific Ocean in any Northern direc-
tion, is a queftion, for the decifion of which the Public will
be indebted to this work.
-2. But our voyages will benefit the world, not only by
difcouraging future unprofitable fearches, but alfo by lef-
fening the dangers and diftreftes formerly experienced in
thofe feas, which are within the line of commerce and na-
vigation, now actually fubfifting. In how many inftances
have the miftakes of former navigators, in fixing the true
fituations of important places, been recftified ? What accef-
fion to the variation chart ? How many nautical obferva-
tions have been colle(5led, and are now ready to be confulteci,
VoL. I. h in
Iviii
INTRODUCTION.
in directing a fliip’s coiirfe, along rocky fhores, through
narrow ftraits, amidft perplexing currents, and dangerous
fhoals ? But, above all, what numbers of new bays, and
harbours, and anchoring-places, are now, for the firft time,
brought forward, where Ihips may be flieltered, and their
crews find tolerable refrefliments ? To enumerate all thefe
would be to tranfcribe great part of the journals of our feve-
ral Commanders, whofe labours will endear them to every
navigator whom trade or war may carry into their tracks.
Every nation that fends a fliip to fea, will partake of the
benefit ; but Great Britain herfelf, whofe commerce is
boundlefs, mull take the lead in reaping the full advan-
tage of her own difcoveries.
In confequence of aU thefe various improvements, leffen-
ing the apprehenfions of engaging in long voyages, may
we not reafonably indulge the pleafing hope, that frefh
branches of commerce may, even in our own time, be at-
tempted, and fuccefsfully carried on ? Our hardy adven-
turers in the whale-fifhery, have already found their way,
within thefe few years, into the South Atlantic ; and who
knows what frefli fources of commerce may ftill be opened,
if the profpedf of gain can be added, to keep alive the fpirit
of enterprize ? If the fituation of Great Britain be too re-
mote, other trading nations will afluredly avail themfelves
of our difcoveries. We may foon expedl to hear that the
Ruffians, now inftrudled by us where to find the American
continent, have extended their voyages from the Fox Iflands
to Cook’s River, and Prince William’s Sound. And if Spain
itfelf fhould not be tempted to trade from its mofl; Northern
Mexican ports, by the frefli mine of wealth difcovered in
the furs of King George’s Sound, which they may tranfport
in their Manilla fliips, as a favourite commodity for the
Chinefe
INTRODUCTION.
Chinefe market ; that market may probably be fupplied by
a diredl trade to America, from Canton itfelf, with thofe
valuable articles which the inhabitants of China have hi-
therto received, only by the tedious and expenlive circuit
of Kamtfchatka and Kiachta.
Thefe and many other commercial improvements may
reafonably be expected to refult from the Britifli difcoveries,
even in our own times. But if we look forward to future
ages, and to future changes in the hiftory of commerce, by
recollecting its various pall revolutions and migrations, we
may be allowed to pleafe ourfelves with the idea of its find-
ing its way, at lall, throughout the extent of the regions
with which our voyages have opened an intercourfe ; and
there will be abundant reafon to fubfcribe to Captain Cook’s
obfervation with regard to New Zealand, which may be ap-
plied to other traCls of land explored byh im, that ‘‘ al-
“ though they be far remote from the prefent trading
“ world, we can, by no means, tell what ufe future ages
“ may make of the difcoveries made by the prefent In
this point of view, furely, the utility of the late voyages
mull Hand confelfed ; and we may be permitted to fay, that
the hiltory of their operations, which will be completed in
thefe volumes, has the jullell pretenlions to be called KTyj/xiz
sg del, as it will convey to latell pollerity a treafure of inte-
relling information.
3. Admitting, however, that we may have exprelfed too
fanguine expeClations of commercial advantages, either
within our own reach, or gradually to be unfolded at fome
future period, as the refult of our voyages of difcovery ; we
may llill be allowed to conlider them as a laudable effort to
add to the flock of human knowledge, with regard to an
* Cook’s Voyage, Vol. i. p. 92.
h 2
lix
objeCl
]x INTRODUCTION,
object which cannot but deferve the attention of enlight-
ened man. To exert our faculties in deviling ingenious
modes of fatisfying ourfelves about the magnitude and
diftance of the fun ; to extend our acquaintance with the
fyftem to which that luminary is the common centre, by
tracing the revolutions of a new planet, or the appearance
of a new comet ; to carry our bold refearches through all
the immenhty of fpace, where world beyond world rifes to
the view of the aftoniflied obferver ; thefe are employ-
ments which none but thofe incapable of purfuing them
can depreciate, and w'hich every one capable of purfuing
them mull delight in, as a dignified exercife of the powers
of the human mind. But while we dire6t our ftudies to
diftant worlds, which, after all our exertions, we mull
content ourfelves with having barely difcovered to exill, it
would be a ftrange neglect, indeed, and would argue a
moft culpable want of rational curiolity, if we did not ufe
our beft endeavours to arrive at a full acquaintance with
the contents of our own planet ; of that little fpot in the
immenfe univerfe, on which we have been placed, and the
utmoll limits of which, at lead; its habitable parts, we pof-
fefs the means of afcertaining, and defcribing, by acSlual ex-
amination.
So naturally doth this reflection prefent itfelf, that to
know fomething of the terraqueous globe, is a favourite
objedf with every one who can tafte the lowed: rudiments
of learning. Let us not therefore think fo meanly of the
times in which we live, as to fuppofe it poflible that full
judice will not be done to the noble plan of difcovery, fo
Readily and fo fuccefsfully carried on, fince the accedion of
his Majedy ; which cannot fail to be conddered, in every
fucceeding age, as a fplendid period in the hidory of our
country,
INTRODUCTION.
Ixi.
country, and to add to our national glory, by diftinguifliing
Great Britain as taking the lead in the naoft arduous under-
takings for the common benefit of the human race. Be-
fore thefe voyages took place, nearly half the furface of the
globe we inhabit was hid in obfcurity and confufion. What
is ftill wanting to complete our geography, may juftly be
termed the minuti^ of that fcience.
4. Let us now carry our thoughts fomewhat farther. It
is fortunate for the interefiis of knowledge, that acquifitions
in any one branch, generally, and indeed unavoidably, lead
to acquifitions in other branches, perhaps of ftill greater
confequence ; and that we cannot even gratify mere curio-
fity, without being rewarded with valuable inftrudtion.
This obfervation applies to the fubjedt before us. Voyages,
in which new oceans have been traverfed, and in which
new countries have been vifited, can fcarcely ever be per-
formed, without bringing forward to our view frefh ob-
jedls of fcience. Even when we are to take our report of
what was difcovered, from the mere failor, whofe know-
ledge fcarcely goes beyond the marrow limits of his own
profelfion, and whofe inquiries are not directed by philofo-
phical difcernment, it will be unfortunate indeed, if fome-
thing hath not been remarked, by which the fcholar may
profit, and ufeful acceffions be made to our old ftock of in-
formation. And if this be the cafe in general, how much
more muft be gained by the particular voyages now under
confideration ? Befides naval officers equally fkilled to exa-
mine the coafts they might approach, as to delineate them
accurately upon their charts, artifts were engaged, who,
* MeflT. Hodges and Webber, whofe drawings have ornamented and illuftrated this and
Captain Cook’s fecond voyage.
by
Ixii
INTRODUCTION.
by their drawings, might illuftrate what could only be im-
perfedlly defcribed ; mathematicians ■'■•S who might treafure
-lip an extenlive feries of fcientific obfervations ; and per-
fons verfed in the various departments of the hiftory of
nature, who might collect, or record, all that they fhould
find new and valuable, throughout the wide extent of
their refearches. But while moft of thefe aflbciates of our
naval difcoverers, were liberally rewarded by the Public,
there was one gentleman, who thinking it the nobleft re-
ward he could receive, to have an opportunity of making
the ample fortune he inherited from his anceftors, fubfer-
vient to the improvement of fcience, ftepped forward of
his own accord, and fubmitting to the hardfhips and dan-
gers of a circumnavigation of the globe, accompanied Cap-
tain Cook in the Endeavour. The learned world, I may
alfo fay the unlearned, will never forget the obligations
which it owes to Sir Jofeph Banks.
What real acquifitions have been gained, by this mu-
nificent attention to fcience, cannot be better exprefled than
in the words of Mr. Wales, who engaged in one of thefe
voyages himfelf, and contributed largely to the benefits de-
rived from them.
That branch of natural knowledge which may be
called nautical ajironomy-) was undoubtedly in its infancy,
‘‘ when thefe voyages were firft undertaken. Both inftru-
* Mr. Green, in the Endeavour ; Meflrs. W ales and Bayly, in the Refolution and
Adventure j Mr. Bayly, a fecond time, jointly with Captains Cook, and King in this
voyage j and Mr. Lyons, who accompanied Lord Mulgrave. The obfervations of
Meflrs. Wales and Bayly, during Captain Cook’s fecond voyage, are already in the
hands of the Public, by the favour of the Board of Longitude ; and thofe of Captains
[Cook and King, and Mr. Bayly, during this laft, will appear immediately after our Publi-
cation.
‘‘ ments
INTRODUCTION.
Ixiii
ments and obfervers, which deferved the name, were
“ very rare ; and fo late as the year 1770, it was thought
“ necelTary, in the appendix toMayefs ‘Tables^ publifhed by
“ the Board of Longitude, to Rate fa6ts, in contradiction to
“ the affertions of fo celebrated an aftronomer as the Abbe
“ de la CaiUe, that the altitude of the fun at noon, the
‘‘ ealieft and moft limple of all obfervations, could not be
taken with certainty to a lefs quantity than five, fix,
“ feven, or even eight minutes But thofe who wiU give
‘‘ themfelves the trouble to look into the aftronomical ob~
“ fervations, made in Captain Cook’s lafi; voyage, will find,
“ that there were few, even of the petty officers, who
“ could not obferve the diftance of the moon from the
“ fun, or a ftar, the moft delicate of all obfervations, with
“ fufficient accuracy. It may be added, that the method
“ of making and computing obfervations for finding the
variation of the compafs, is better known, and more fre-
“ quently pracftifed by thofe who have been on thefe voy-
“ ages, than by moft others. Nor is there, perhaps, a per-
‘‘ fon who ranks as an officer, and has been concerned in
* The Abbe’s words are, “ Si ceux qui promettent une fi grande precifion dans ces
“ fortes de methodes, avoient navigue quelque temps, ils auroient vu fouvent, que dans
“ I’obfervation la plus fimple de toutes, qui eft celle de la hauteur du foleil a midi, deux
“ obfervations, munis de bons quartiers de reflexion, bien redlifies, different entr’eux,
“ lorfqu’ils obfervent chacun a part, de 5', 6^, 7', & 8',” Ephemer. 1755 — 1765.
lntrodu£ilon^ p. 32.
It muft be, however, mentioned, injufticetoM.de la Caille, that he attempted to
introduce the lunar method of difcovering the longitude, and propofed a plan of calcula-
tions of the moon’s diftance from the fun and fixed ftars ; but through the imperfedlion
of his inftruments, his fuccefs was much lefs than that method was capable of afford-
ing. The bringing it into general ufe was referved for Dr. Mafkelyne, our Aftronomer
Royal. See the preface to the Tables for correcltng the EffeSls of RefraSlion and Parallax^
publifhed by the Board of Longitude, under the Direcftion of Dr. Shepherd, Plumian
Profeffor of Aftronomy and Experimental Philofophy at Cambridge, in 1772.
them.
Ixiv
INTRODUCTION.
them, who would not, whatever his real fkill may be, feel
afliamed to have it thought that he did not know how to
obferve for, and compute the time at fea ; though, but
a fliort while before thefe voyages were fet on foot, fuch
“ a thing was fcarcely ever heard of amongft feamen ; and
“ even firft-rate aftronomers doubted the poffibility of do-
“ ing it with fudicient exadlnefs
“ The number of places, at which the rife and times of
flowing of tides have been obferved, in thefe voyages,
“ is very great ; and hence an important article of ufeful
‘‘ knowledge is afforded. In thefe obfervations, fome very
‘‘ curious and even unexpedted circumftances have offered
* In addition to Mi'. Wales’s Remark, it maybe obferved, tliat the proficiency of our
naval officers in taking obfervations at fea, muft ultimately be attributed to the great at-
tention paid to this important obje£l: by the Board of Longitude at home ; liberal rewards
having been given to mathematicians for perfecting the lunar tables, and facilitating cal-
culations ; and to artifts for conftruCting more accurate inftruments for obferving, and
watches better adapted to keeping time at fea. It appears, therefore, tliat the voyages of
difcovery, and the operations of the board of longitude went hand in hand ; and they muft
be combined, in order to form a juft eftimate of the extent of the plan carried into execu-
tion fince his Majefty’s acceffion, for improving aftronomy and navigation. But, befides
the eftabliftiment of the Board of Longitude on its prefent footing, which has had fuch
important confequences, it muft alfo be ever acknowledged, that his prefent Majefty has
extended his royal patronage to every branch of the liberal arts and ufeful fcience.
The munificent prefent to the Royal Society for defraying the expence of obferving
the tranfit of Venus ; — the inftitution of the Academy of Painting and Sculpture ; — the
magnificent apartments allotted to the Royal and Antiquary Societies, and to the Royal
Academy, at Somerfet Place ; — the fupport of the Garden of Exotics at Kew, to improve
which, Mr. MaiTon was fent to the extremities of Africa ; — the fuhjlantial encouragement
afforded to learned men and learned works, in various departments ; and particularly, that
afforded to Mr. Herfchell, which has enabled him to devote himfelf entirely to the im-
provement of aftronomy ; thefe, and many other inftances which might be enumerated,
would have greatly diftinguiftied his Majefty’s reign, even if he had not been the patron of
thofe fuccefsful attempts to perfedl geography and navigation by fo many voyages o! difco-
very.
them-
INTRODUCTION.
Ixv
themfelves to our conficleration. It will be fufficient to
“ inftance the exceedingly fmall height to which the tide
‘‘ rifes, in the middle of the great Pacific Ocean ; where it
“ falls fliort, two-thirds at leaft, of what might have been
“ expe6led from theory and calculation.
“ The direcSlion and force of currents at fea, make alfo
“ an important objetfi;. Thefe voyages will be found to
“ contain much ufeful information on this head ; as well
“ relating to feas nearer home, and which, in confequence,-
“ are navigated every day, as to thofe which are more re-
“ mote, but where, notwithftanding, the knowledge of
‘‘ thefe things may be of great fervice to thofe who are
“ deftined to navigate them hereafter. To this head alfo
‘‘ we may refer the great number of experiments which
“ have been made for inquiring into the depth of the fea,
‘‘ its temperature, and faltnefs at different depths, and in a
variety of places and climates.
“ An extenfive foundation has alfo been laid for improve-
“ ments in magnetifm, for difcovering the caufe and nature
“ of the polarity of the needle, and a theory of its varia-
“ tions, by the number and variety of the obfervations and
experiments which have been made, both on the variation
“ and dip, in almoft: all parts of the world. Experiments alfo
“ have been made, in confequence of the late voyages, on
“ the effedls of gravity, in different and very diftant places,
“ which may ferve to increafe our ftock of natural know-
“ ledge. From the fame fource of information we have
“ learned, that the phenomenon, ufually called the aurora
borealis^ is not peculiar to high Northern latitudes, but
“ belongs, equally, to all cold climates, whether they be
North or South.
But, perhaps, no part of knowledge has been fo great
VoL. I. i “a gainer
/
Ixvi
INTRODUCTION*
“ a gainer by the late voyages, as that of botany. We are
“ told that, at leaft, twelve hundred new plants have
been added to the known fyftem; and that very confi-
“ derable additions have been made to every other branch
“ of natural hiftory, by the great fkill and induftry of Sir
“ Jofeph Banks, and the other gentlemen t who have ac-
“ companied Captain Cook for that purpofe.”
To our naval officers in general, or to their learned af-
fociates in the expeditions, all the foregoing improvements
of knowledge may be traced ; but there is one very lingular
improvement indeed. Hill behind, for which, as we are
folely indebted to Captain Cook, let us Rate it in his own
words : “ Whatever may be the public judgment about
“ other matters, it is with real fatisfadfion, and without
“ claiming any merit but that of attention to my duty,
“ that I can conclude this account with an obfervation,
“ which fadts enable me to make, that our having dif-
“ covered the poffibility of preferving health amongft a
“ numerous Ihip’s company, for fuch a length of time, in
“ fuch varieties of climate, and amidft fuch continued hard-
“ fhips and fatigues, will make this voyage remarkable, in
“ the opinion of every benevolent perfon, when the dif-
“ putes about a Southern continent ffiall have ceafed to en-
attention, and to divide the judgment of philo-
“ fophers i.”
* See Dr. Shepherd’s Preface, as above.
t Dr. Solander, Dr. Forfter and his fon, and Dr. Sparman. Dr. Forfter has given
us a fpecimen of the botanical difcoveries of his voyage in the Chara£ieres Generum Plan-
iarum^ &c. and much curious philofophical matter is contained in his Obfervations made
in a Voyage round the World. Dr. Sparman alfo, on his return to Sweden, fevoured us
with a publication, in which he expatiates on the advantages accruing to natural hiftory,
to aftronomy, geography, general phyfics, and navigation, from our South Sea voyages,
t Cook’s Voyage, VoL ii, p. 393.
5. But
INTRODUCTION.
Ixvii
5. But while our late voyages have opened fo many chan-
nels to an increafe of knowledge in the feveral articles al-
ready enumerated ; while they have extended our acquaint-
ance with the contents of the globe ; while they have faci-
litated old tracks, and have opened new ones for com-
merce ; while they have been the means of improving the
Ikill of the navigator, and the fcience of the aftronomer ;
while they have procured to us fo valuable acceflions in the
feveral departments of natural hiftory, and furnifhed fuch
opportunities of teaching us how to preferve the healths
and lives of feamen, let us not forget another very impor-
tant objecSt of ftudy, for which they have afforded to the
fpeculative philofopher ample materials : I mean the ftudy
of human nature in various fituations, equally interefting
as they are uncommon.
However remote or fecluded from frequent intercourfe
with more poliftied nations, the inhabitants of any parts of
the world be, if hiftory or our own obfervation ftiould make
it evident that they have been formerly viftted, and that
foreign manners and opinions, and languages, have been
blended with their own, little ufe can be made of what is
obferved amongft fuch people, toward drawing a real pic-
ture of man in his natural uncultivated ftate. This feems
to be the fituation of the inhabitants of moft of the iflands
that lie contiguous to the continent of Aft a, and of whofe
manners and inftitutions the Europeans, who- occaftonally
viftt them, have frequently given us accounts. But the
iflands which our enterprizing difcoverers viftted in the
centre of the South Pacific Ocean, and are, indeed, the prin-
cipal fcenes of their operations, were untrodden ground.
The inhabitants, as far as could be obferved, were unmixed
with any different tribe, by occaftonal intercourfe, fubfe-
i 2 quent
Ixviii
INTRODUCTION.
quent to their original fettlement there ; left entirely to
their own powers for every art of life ; and to their own re-
mote traditions for every political or religious cuftom or in-
ifitution ; uninformed by fcience ; unimproved by educa-
tion ; in fliort, a fit foil from whence a careful obferver
could colle6l fa6ts for forming a judgment, how far unaf-
fifted human nature will be apt to degenerate ; and in what
refpe6ts it can ever be able to excel. Who could have thought,
that the brutal ferocity of feeding upon human flefli, and
the horrid fuperftition of offering human facrifices, fliould
be found to exift amongft the natives lately difcovered in
the Pacific Ocean, who, in other refpecRs, appear to be no
Grangers to the fine feelings of humanity, to have arrived
at a certain ftage of focial life, and to be habituated to fub-
ordination and government, which tend fo naturally to re-
prefs the ebullitions of wild paflion, and expand the latent
powers of the underftanding ?
Or, if we turn from this melancholy pidture, which will
fugged: copious matter for philofophical fpeculation, can
we, without aftonifliment, obferve to what a degree of per-
fedtion the fame tribe (and indeed we may here join, in
fome of thofe indances, the American tribes vifited in the
courfe of the prefent voyage) have carried their favourite
amufements, the plaintive fongs of their women, their dra-
matic entertainments, their dances, their Olympian games,
as we may call them ; the orations of their Chiefs ; the
chants of their prieds ; the folemnity of their religious pro-
cedions ; their arts and manufadtures ; their ingenious con-
trivances to fupply the want of proper materials, and of effec-
tive tools and machines ; and the wonderful produdtions of
their perfevering labour under a complication of difadvan-
tages ; their cloth and their mats ; their weapons ; their fifh-
ing-
INTRODUCTION.
Ixix
ing-inftruments ; their ornaments ; their utenlils ; which in
defign and in execution, may vie with whatever modern
Europe, or claflical antiquity can exhibit ?
It is a favourite ftudy with the fcholar to trace the re-
mains of Grecian or Roman workmanfliip ; he turns over
his Montfaucon with learned fatisfa6tion ; and he gazes
with rapture on the noble colledfion of Sir William Hamil-
ton. The amufement is rational and inftrudfive. But will
not his curiofity be more awakened, will he not find even
more real matter for important refledlion, by pafling an
hour in furveying the numerous fpecimens of the inge-
nuity of our newly-difcovered friends, brought from the
utmoft recedes of the globe, to enrich the Britifli Mufeum,
and the valuable repofitory of Sir Afliton Lever ? If the
curiofities of Sir Afhton’s Sandwich-room alone, were the
only acquifition gained by our vifits to the Pacific Ocean,
who that has tafte to admire, or even eyes to behold, could
hefitate to pronounce, that Captain Cook had not failed
in vain ? The expence of his three voyages did not, per-
haps, far exceed that of digging out the buried contents
of Herculaneum. And we may add, that the novelties
of the Society or Sandwich Ifiands, feem better calculated
to engage the attention of the fiudious in our times, than
the antiquities^^ which exhibit proofs of Roman magni-
ficence.
The grounds for making this remark cannot be better
explained, than in the words of a very ingenious writer :
“ In an age' (fays Mr. Warton^^), advanced to the highefi:
‘‘ degree of refinement, that fpecies of curiofity com-
“ mences, which is bufied in contemplating the progrefs
“ of focial life, in difplaying the gradation of fcience, and
* Preface to his Hiftory of Englifti Poetry.
‘‘ in
INTRODUCTION.
-Ixx
‘‘ in tracing the tranfition from barbarifm to civility,
‘‘ That thefe fpeculations fliould become the favourite to-
“ pics of fuch a period is extremely natural. We look
“ back on the favage condition of our anceftors with the
triumph of fuperiority; and are pleafed to mark the
“ fteps by which we have been raifed from rudenefs to
“ elegance ; and our refledlions on this fubje(5t are accom-
“ panied with a confcious pride, ariling, in a great mea-
fure, from a tacit comparifon of the infinite difpropor-
“ tion between the feeble efforts of remote ages, and our
prefent improvements in knowledge. In the mean time,
“ the manners, monuments, cuftoms, pra6tices, and opi-
‘‘ nions of antiquity, by forming fo ftrong a contrail: with
thofe of our own times, and by exhibiting human na-
ture and human inventions in new lights, in unexpected
‘‘ appearances, and in various forms, are objeCts which
“ forcibly ftrike a feeling imagination. Nor does this fpec-
‘‘ tacle afford nothing more than a fruitlefs gratification
‘‘ to the fancy. It teaches us to fet a juft eflimation on
our own acquifitions, and encourages us to cherifh that
cultivation, which is fo clofely connected with the exift-
‘‘ ence and the exercife of every focial virtue.” We need
not here obferve, that the manners^ monuments,, cuftoms^
pra&ices, and opinions of the prefent inhabitants of the
Pacific Ocean, or of the Weft fide of North America,
form the JirongeJl contrajl with thofe of our own time
in poliflied Europe ; and that a feeling imagination will
probably be more ftruck with the narration of the cere-
monies of a Natche at Tongataboo, than of a Gothic
tournament at London ; with the contemplation of the
■coloffufes of Eafter Ifland, than of the myfterious remains
of Stonehenge.
Many
INTRODUCTION.
Ixxi
Many Angularities, refpedling what may be called the
natural hiftory of the human fpecies, in different climates,
will, on the authority of our late navigators, open abun-
dant fources for philofophical difcuflion. One queftion of
this fort, in particular, which had formerly divided the
opinions of the inquifitive, as to the exiftence, if not of
“ giants on the earth,” at leaft of a race (inhabiting a dif-
tri^ bordering on the North Ade of the Arait of Magal-
haens), whofe ftature conAderably exceeds that of the bulk
of mankind, will no longer be doubted or difbelieved.
And the ingenious objections of the fceptical author of
Recherches fur les Americains will weigh nothing in the
balance againft the concurrent and accurate teAimony of
Byron, Wallis, and Carteret.
Perhaps there cannot be a more intereAing inquiry than
to trace the migrations of the various families or tribes
that have peopled the globe ; and in no refpeCl have our
late voyages been more fertile in curious difcoveries. It
was known in general (and I Aiall ufe the words of
Kaempfer f), that the AAatic nation called Malayans, “ in
‘‘ former times, had by much the greateA trade in the In-
“ dies, and frequented with their merchant fhips, not only
“ all the coaAs of AAa, but ventured even over to the
“ coaAs of Africa, particularly to the great iAand of Ma-
« dagafcar The title which the king of the Malayans
“ aAumed
* Tom. i. p. 331,
+ Hiftory of Japan, Vol. i. p. 93,
X That the Malayans have not only freque nted Madagafcar, but have alfo been the
progenitors of fome of the prefent race of inhabitants there, is confirmed to us by the
teftimony of Monfieur de Pages, who vifited that ifland fo late as 1774. “ Ils m’ont
“ paru provenir des diveries Races ; leur couleur, leurs cheveux, et leur corps I’indi-
* quent. Ceux que je n’ai pas cru originaires des anciens naturels du paysj font petits
« et
Ixxii
INTRODUCTION.
affamed to himfelf, of Lord of the Winds and Seas to
“ the Eajl and to the WeJij is an evident proof of this ;
“ but much more the Malayan language, which fpread
moft all over the Eaft, much after the fame manner as
‘‘ formerly the Latin, and of late the French, did all over
“ Europe.” Thus far, I fay, was known. But that from
Madagafcar to the Marquefes and Eafter Ifland, that is,
nearly from the Eaft fide of Africa, till we approach to-
ward the Weft ftde of America, a fpace including above
half the circumference of the globe, the fame tribe or na-
tion, the Phoenicians, as we may call them, of the Oriental
world, fliould have made their fettlements, and founded
colonies throughout almoft every intermediate ftage of this
immenfe tracft, in iflands at amazing diftances from the
mother continent, and ignorant of each other's exiftence ;
this is an hiftorical fadl, which could be but very imper-
fectly known before Captain Cook’s two firft voyages difco-
vered fo many new inhabited fpots of land lurking in the
bofom of the South Pacific Ocean ; and it is a fact which
does not reft folely on fimilarity of cuftoms and inftitutions,
but has been eftablifhed by the moft fatisfadlory of all
proofs, that drawn from affinity of language. Mr. Marfden,
who feems to have confidered this curious fubject with
much attention, fays, that the links of the latitudinal chain
remain yet to be traced The difcovery of the Sandwich
Iflands
“ et trapus j ils ont les cheveux prefque unis, et font oUvatres comme les Malayes,
“ avec qul ih ont^ en general^ une efpece de refemblance.” — Voyages des M. des Pages,
T. ii. p. 90.
* Archaeolog. Vol. vi. p. 155. See alfo his Hiftory of Sumatra, p. 166. from which
the following palTage is tranfcribed. “ Befides the Malaye, there are a variety of lan-
“ guages fpoken on Sumatra, which, however, have not only a manifeft affinity among
“ themfelves,
INTRODUCTION.
Ixxiii
Iflands in this laft voyage, has added fome links to the
chain. But Captain Cook had not an opportunity of carry-
ing his refearches into the more Wefterly parts of the North
Pacific. The Reader, therefore, of the following work will
not, perhaps, think that the Editor was idly employed when
he fubjoined fome notes, which contain abundant proof
that the inhabitants of the Ladrones, or Marianne iflands,
and thofe of the Carolines, are to be traced to the fame
common fource, with thofe of the iflands vifited by our
fliips. With the like view, of exhibiting a ftriking pidfure
of the amazing extent of this Oriental language, which
marks, if not a common original, at leafl: an intimate inter-
courfe between the inhabitants of places fo very remote
from each other, he has inferted a comparative table of
their numerals, upon a more enlarged plan than any that
has hitherto been executed
Our Britilh difcoverers have not only thrown a blaze of
light on the migrations of the tribe which has fo wonder-
fully fpread itfelf throughout the iflands in the Eaftern
Ocean ; but they have alfo favoured us with much curious
information concerning another of the families of the earth,
“ themfelves, but alfo to that general language which is found to prevail in, and to be
“ indigenous to, all the iflands of the Eaftern feas ; from Madagafcar to the remoteft of
“ Captain Cook’s difcoveries, comprehending a wider extent than the Roman or any
“ other tongue has yet boafted. In different places, it has been more or lefs mixed and
“ corrupted ; but between the moft difllmilar branches, an eminent famenefs of many
“ radical words is apparent ; and in fome very diftant from each other, in point of 11-
“ tuation ; As, for inftance, the Philippines and Madagafcar, the deviation of the words
“ is fcarcely more than is obferved in the dialeds of neighbouring provinces of the fame
“ kingdom.”
* We are indebted to Sir Jofeph Banks, for a general out-line of this, in Hawkef-
worth’s Colleition, Vol. iii. p. 777. The Reader will find our enlarged Table at the
end of the third volume, Appendix, N” 2.
VOL. I.
k
whofe
Ixxiv
INTRODUCTION.
whofe lot has fallen in lefs hofpitable climates. We fpeak
of the Efquimaux, hitherto only found feated on the coafts
of Labradore and Hudfon’s Bay, and who differ in feveral
charadferiftic marks from the inland inhabitants of North
America. That the Greenlanders and they agree in every
circumftance of cuftoms, and manners, and language, which
are demonftrations of an original identity of nation, had
been difcovered about twenty years ago Mr. Hearne, in
1771, traced this unhappy race farther back, toward that
part of the globe from whence they had originally coafted
along in their fkin boats, having met with fome of them at
the mouth of the Copper-mine River, in the latitude of 72%
and near five hundred leagues farther Weft than Pickerf-
gill’s moft Wefterly Ration in Davis’s Strait. Their being
the fame tribe who now acStually inhabit the iflands and
coafts on the Weft fide of North America, oppofite Kamt-
fchatka, was a difcovery, the completion of which was
referved for Captain Cook. The Reader of the follow-
ing work will find them at Norton Sound; and at Oona-
laflika, and Prince William’s Sound ; that is, near 1 500
leagues diftant from their Rations in Greenland, and on
the Labradore coaft. And left fimilitude of manners
fliould be thought to deceive us, a table exhibiting proofs
of affinity of language, which was drawn up by Captain
Cook, and is inferted in this work t, will remove every
* See Crantz’s Hiftory of Greenland, Vol. i. p. 262 j where we are told that the
Moravian Brethren, who, with the confent and furtherance of Sir Hugh Pallifer, then Go-
vernor of Newfoundland, vifited the Efquimaux on the Labradore coaft, found that their
language, and that of tlie Greenlanders, do not differ fo much as that of the High and
Low Dutch.
t See Appendix, N° 6. The Greenlanders, as Crantz tells us, call themfelves Ka-
ralit ; a word not very unlike Kanagyji^ the name affumed by the inhabitants of Kodiack,,
one of the Schumagin illands, as Staehlin informs us.
doubt
INTRODUCTION,
Ixxv
doubt from the mind of the molt fcrupulous inquirer after
truth.
There are other doubts of a more important kind, which,
it may be hoped, will now no longer perplex the ignorant,
or furnifli matter of cavil to the ill-intentioned. After the
great difcovery, or at lead: the full confirmation of the great
difcovery, of the vicinity of the two continents of Alia and
America, we truft that we fhall not, for the future, be ridi-
culed, for believing that the former could ealily furnifh its
inhabitants to the latter. And thus, to all the various good
purpofes already enumerated, as anfwered by our late voy-
ages, we may add this laft, though not the leaft important,
that they have done fervice to religion, by robbing infide-
lity of a favourite objedlion to the credibility of the Mofaic
account of the peopling of the earth
6. Hitherto we have confidered our voyages as having be-
nefited the difcoverers. But it will be afked. Have they con-
veyed, or are they likely ever to convey, any benefit to the
difcoveredf It would afford exquifite fatisfadtion to every
benevolent mind, to be inftrudled in fadts, which might
enable us, without hefitation, to anfwer this queftion in the
affirmative. And yet, perhaps, we may indulge the pleaf-
ing hope, that, even in this refpecft, our fhips have not
* A contempt of Revelation is generally the refult of ignorance, conceited of its pof-
fcfling fuperior knowledge. Obferve how the Author of Recherches Philofophiques fur les
Amcricaim^ exprefles himfelf on this very point. “ Cette diftance que Mr. Antermony
“ veut trouver fi peu importante, eft a-peu-pres de huh cent Iteues Gaulofes au tr avers d’un
“ ocean perilleux^ et impoflible a franchir avec des canots aufli chetifs et aufli fragiles que
“ le font, au rapport d’Yfbrand Ides, les chaloupes des Tungufes,” &c. &c. T. i.
p. 156. Had this writer known that the two continents are not above thirteen leagues
(inftead of eight hundred) diftant from each other, and that, even in that narrow fpace of
fea, there are intervening iflands, he would not have ventured to urge this argument in
oppofition to Mr. Bell’s notion of the quarter from which North America received its
original inhabitants.
k 2
failed
Ixxvi
INTRODUCTION.
failed in vain. Other difcoveries of new countries have,
in effedf, been wars, or rather maflacres ; nations have been
no fooner found out, than they have been extirpated ; and
the horrid cruelties of the conquerors of Mexico and Peru
can never be remembered, without blulhing for religion
and human nature. But when the receffes of the globe
are inveftigated, not to enlarge private dominion, but to pro-
mote general knowledge ; when we vifit new tribes of our
fellow-creatures as friends ; and wifli only to learn that they
exift, in order to bring them within the pale of the offices
of humanity, and to relieve the wants of their imperfecSl
jftate of fociety, by communicating to them our fuperior
attainments ; voyages of difcovery planned with fuch bene-
volent views by George the Third, and executed by Cook,
have not, we truft, totally failed in this refpecSl. Our repeated
vifits, and long-continued intercourfe with the natives of
the Friendly, Society, and Sandwich lllands, cannot but have
darted fome rays of light on the infant minds of thofe poor
people. The uncommon objedts they have thus had oppor-
tunities of obferving and admiring, will naturally tend to
enlarge their flock of ideas, and to furnifli new materials
for the exercife of their reafon. Comparing themfelves
with their vifiters, they cannot but be ftruck with the deepefl
convicSlion of their own inferiority, and be impelled, by
the flrongefl motives, to flrive to emerge from it, and to
rife nearer to a level with thofe children of the Sun who
deigned to look upon them, and left behind fo many fpeci-
mens of their generous and humane attention. The very
introdu6lion of our ufeful animals and vegetables, by add-
ing frefh means of fubfiftence, will have added to their com-
forts of life, and immediate enjoyments ; and if this be the
only benefit they are ever to receive, who will pronounce
that
INTRODUCTION.
Jxxvii
that much has not been gained? But may we not carry
our whhes and our hopes Rill farther ? Great Britain it-
felf, when firft viiited by the Phoenicians, was inhabited by
painted Savages, not, perhaps, bleffed with higher attain-
ments than are poffeffed by the prefent natives of New Zea-
land; certainly lefs civilized than thofe of Tongataboo or
Otaheite. Our having opened an intercourfe with them, is
the firft ftep toward their improvement. Who knows, but
that our late voyages may be the means appointed by Pro-
vidence, of fpreading, in due time, the bleflings of civi-
lization amongft the numerous tribes of the South Pacific
Ocean ; of abolifhing their horrid repafts and their horrid
rites ; and of laying the foundation for future and more
effedlual plans, to prepare them for holding an honourable
Ration amongft the nations of the earth ? This, at leaft, is-
certain, that our having, as it were, brought them into ex-
iftence by our extenfive refearches, will fuggeft to us frefh
motives of devout gratitude to the Supreme Being, for hav-
ing blelTed us with advantages hitherto withheld from fo
great a proportion of the human race; and will operate
powerfully to incite us to perfevere in every feafible at-
tempt, to be his inftruments in refcuing millions of fellow-
creatures from their prefent Rate of humiliation.
The feveral topics, which occurred, as fuitable to this ge-
neral Introdudtion, being now difcuflTed, nothing remains
but to Rate a few particulars, about which the reader of
thefe volumes has a right to expecft fome information.
Captain Cook, knowing, before he failed upon this laft
expedition, that it was expected from him to r-elate^ as well
as to execute^ its operations, had taken care to prepare Rich
a jom'nal as might be made ufe of for publication. This
journal.
Ixxviii
INTRODUCTION.
journal, which exifts in his own hand-writing, has been
faithfully adhered to. It is not a bare extract from his log-
books, but contains many remarks which, it appears, had
not been inferted by him in the nautical regifter ; and it is
alfo enriched with conhderabie communications from Mr.
Anderfon, Surgeon of the Refolution. The confeffed abi-
lities, and great afliduity, of Mr. Anderfon, in obferving
every thing that related either to natural hiftory, or to
manners and language; and the defire which, it is well
known. Captain Cook, on all occafions, fliewed to have
the affiftance of that gentleman. Ramped a great value on
his colledtions. That nothing, therefore, might be want-
ing to convey to the Public the bell poflible account of the
tranfadtions of the voyage, his journal, by the order of
Lord Sandwich, was alfo put into the hands of the Editor,
who was authorized and directed to avail himfelf of the
information it might be found to contain, about matters
imperfectly touched, or altogether omitted, in Captain
Cook’s manufcript. This talk has been executed in fuch
a manner, that the reader will fcarcely ever be at a lofs to
diftinguhli in what inftances recourfe has been had to Mr.
Anderfon. To preclude, if poflible, any miftake, the copy
of the firfl: and fecond volumes, before it went to the
printer, was fubmitted to Captain King ; and after it had
been read over and corrected by one fo well qualified to
point out any inaccuracies, the Earl of Sandwich had the
goodnefs to give it a perufal. As to the third volume, no-
thing more need be faid, than that it was completely pre-
pared for the prefs by Captain King himfelf. All that
the Editor of the work has to anfwer for, are the notes oc-
cafionally introduced in the courfe of the two volumes,
.contributed by Captain Cook ; and this introduction, which
was
INTRODUCTION.
Ixxix
was intended as a kind of epilogue to our Voyages of dif-
covery. He muft be permitted, however, to fay, that he
confiders himfelf as intitled to no inconliderable fhare of
candid indulgence from the Public ; having engaged in a
very tedious and troublefome undertaking upon the moft
diftnterejied motives ; his only reward being the fatisfadtion
he feels, in having been able to do an eflential fervice to the
family of our great navigator, who had honoured him, in
the journal of this voyage, with the appellation of Friend.
They who have repeatedly afked why this publication
has been fo long delayed, need only look at the volumes, and
their attendant illuftrations and ornaments, to be fatisfied
that it might, with at leaft equal reafon, be wondered at,^
that it has not been delayed longer. The journal of Captain
Cook, from the firft moment that it came into the hands of
the Editor, had been ready for the Prefs ; and Captain King-
had left with him his part of the narrative, fo long ago as
his departure for the Weft Indies, when he commanded the
Reftftance man of war. But much, befides, remained to be
done. The charts, particularly the general one, were to be
prepared by Mr. Roberts, who gives an account of his work
in the note the very numerous and elegant drawings of
Mr.
* Soon after our departure from England, I was inftrufted by Captain Cook to com-
plete a map of the world as a general chart, from the beft materials he was in poflellion
of for that purpofe ; and before his death this bufinefs was in a great meafure accom-
plifhed : That is, the grand outline of the whole was arranged, leaving only thofe parts
vacant or unfinifhed, which he expected to fall in with and explore. But on our return
home, when the fruits of our voyage were ordered by the Lords CommifTioners of the
Admiralty to be publifhed, the care of the general chart being configned to me, I was
directed to prepare it from the lateft and beft authorities ; and alfo to introduce Captain
Cook’s three fucceffive tracks, that all his difcoveries, and the different routes he had '
taken, might appear together ; by this means to give a general idea of the whole. This
talk having been performed by me, it is neceffary, for the information of the Reader, to'
ftatc
INTRODUCTION.
Mr. Webber were to be reduced by him to the proper fize ;
artifts were next to be found out who would undertake to
engrave
ftate the heads of the feveral authorities which I have followed in fuch parts of the chart
as differ from what was drawn up immediately under the infpeftion of Captain Cook :
And when the Public are made acquainted, that many materials, neceffary to complete
and elucidate the work, were not, at the time, on board the Refolution, or in his poffef-
fion, the reafon will appear very obvious, why thefe alterations and additions were in-
troduced contrary to the original drawing.
Fir ft then, I have followed clofely the very excellent and corre£l: charts of the Northern
Atlantic Ocean, publifhed by Melirs. de Verdun de la Crenne, de Borda, et Pringre, in
1775 and 1776 ; which comprife the coaft of Norway from the Sud Hoek, in the lati-
tude of 62 degrees North, to Trelleburg, Denmark, the coaft of Holland, North coaft;
of Great Britain, Orkneys, Shetland, Ferro Ifles, Iceland, coafts of France, Spain, and
Portugal, to Cape St. Maria on the coaft of Africa ; including the Azores, Canaries,
Cape de Verd, Antilles, and Weft India iflands from Barbadoes to the Eaft end of Cuba ;
the North part of Newfoundland and the Labradore coaft, as far as the latitude of 57
degrees North.
Ireland, and part of the coaft of Scotland, is laid down from Mr. Mackenzie’s late
furveys ; and the fouth coaft of England from a chart publifhed by Mr. Faden in 1780,
taken from Mr. I’Abbe Dicquemare.
The North part of the coaft of Labradore, from the latitude of 57° North, to Button’s
lAands in the entrance of Hudfon’s Strait, is taken from Monfieur Beilin’s chart, as is
alfo the North coaft of Norway and Lapland, including the White Sea, Gulf of Bothnia,
Baltic Sea, and the Eaft coaft of Greenland.
The Gulf of Finland, from a large (MS) chart, now engraving for the ufe of fomc
private merchants.
The Weft India iflands, from the Eaft end of Cuba to the Weft end, including Ja-
maica and the Bahama iflands, are from a chart publifhed in London by Sayer and Ben-
nett, in 1779.
The South fide of Cuba, from Point Gorda to Cape de Cruz, is laid down from Mon-
fieur Beilin, in 1762.
The coafts of Newfoundland, and the Gulf of St. Laurence, from the furveys made
by Captain Cook, and Mefirs. Gilbert and Lane.
Nova Scotia, Cape Breton, Ifland of St. John, River St. Laurence, Canada, and New
England to the River Delaware, from J. F. W. des Barres, Efq; in 1777 and 1778 j
and charts publifhed in France by order of the King, In 1780, intituled, Neptune
Americo-Septentrional, See. And from thefe charts alfo are taken the coafts of Pen-
fylvania, New Jerfey, Maryland, Virginia, North and South Carolina, Georgia, Eaft
and
INTRODUCTION,
Ixxxi
engrave them ; the prior engagements of thofe artifts were
to be fulfilled before they could begin ; the labour and Ikill
to
and Weft Florida, as well as the interior parts of the country to the Eaft fide of Lake
Ontario.
The other parts of this lake, as likewife Lakes Eria, Hurons, Michigan, and Superior,
were copied from Mr. Green’s maps of America : The Northern part of this laft-men-
tioned lake is fixed from the aftronomical obfervations made by order of the Hudfon’s Bay
Company, at Mifhippicotton Houfe.
The whole of Hudfon’s Bay I took from a chart, compiled by Mr. Marley, from all the
moft authentic maps he could procure of thofe parts, with which I was favoured by Samuel
Wegg, Efq; F. R. S. and Governor of that Company, who alfo politely furnifhed me with
Mr. Hearne’s Journals, and the map of his route to the Copper-mine River, which is
faithfully inferted on the chart, together with the furvey of Chefterfield Inlet made by Cap-
tain Chriftopher and Mr. Mofes Norton, in 1762 ; and the difcoveries from York Fort
to Cumberland, and Hudfon Houfes (this laft is the moft Wefternfettlement belonging to
the Company), extending to Lake Winipeg, from the drafts of Mr. Philip Tumor, made
in 1778 and 1779, corrected by aftronomical obfervations. And from this lake, the difpo-
fition of the other lakes to the Southward of it, and which communicate with it, is formed,
and laid down from a map conftrudled by Mr. Spurrel, in the Company’s fervice. The
Albany and Moofe rivers to Gloucefter Houfe, and to Lake Abbitibbe and Superior, are
alfo drawn from a map of Mr. Tumor’s, adjufted by obfervations for the longitudes.
The Weft coaft of Greenland, is chiefly laid down from the obfervations made by
Lieut. R. Pickerfgill in the Lion brig in 1776, which determine the line of the coaft
only, as the immenfe quantities of ice choak up every bay and inlet on this coaft, which
formerly were, in the fummer feafon, quite free and open.
From the mouth of the Miflifippi River, including its fource, and the other rivers
branching from it ; all the coaft of New Leon to Cape Rozo, and the Weftern coaft of
America, from Cape Corrientes to the Great Bay of Tecoantepec, is taken from Mon-
fieur D’Anville.
The Gulf of California I have laid down from a German publication in 1773, put into
my hands by Sir Jofeph Banks, Bart. P. R. S. ; and the Weftern fide of it is brought to-
gether from a Spanifti MS. chart, with which A. Dalrymple, Efq; F. R. S. obliged me.
The coaft of Brazil, from Sera to Cape F rio, is copied from a fmall chart of that part
by Mr. Dalrymple.
For the Southern part of Africa, from the Cape of Good Hope to Point Natal, I have
taken the authority of the chart of JVIajor J. Rennels, F. R. S. (hewing the extent of the
bank of Lagullus.
F or the exiftence of the fmall iflands, Ihoals, and banks to the Eaftward of Madagafcar,
together with the Archipelago of the Maidive and Laccidive Iflands 3 for the coafts of
VoL. I. 1 Malacca,
Ixxxii
INTRODUCTION.
to be exerted in finifhing many of them, rendered this a
tedious operation ; paper fit for printing them upon was to
be procured from abroad ; and after all thefe various and
tmavoidable difficulties were furmounted, much time was
neceflarily required for executing a numerous impreflion of
the long lift; of plates, with fo much care as might do juftice
both to Mr. Webber, and to his feveral engravers. When
all thefe circumftances are taken into confideration, we truft
Malacca, part of Cambodia, and the Ifland Sumatra, I have ufed the lateft authority of
Monfieur D’Apres de Mannevillette’s publications in the Neptune Oriental.
The coafts of Guzerat, Malabar, Coromandel, and the oppofite fhore, containing the
Great Bay of Bengal, and the Ifland of Ceylon, and exhibiting the Heads of the Ganges,
and Barampooter or Sanpoo Rivers, are inferted from the work of the ingenious Author
of the map of Hindooftan, publifhed in 1782.
The China fea is laid down from the chart publilhed by Mr. Dalrymple ; but the longi-
tudes of Pulo Sapata, Pu]o Condore, Pulo Timoan, Straits of Banca and Sunda, and the
parts we faw, are as fettled by us, together with the Eaft coaft of Niphon, the principal of
the Japanefe Iflands.
The Jefo and Kurile iflands, the Eaft coaft of Afia and Kamtfchatka, as well as the fea
of Okotlk, and the iflands lying between Kamtfchatka and America that were not feen in
the voyage, are taken from a Ruffian MS. chart, got by us at the Ifland of Oonalalhka.
The Northern countries from Cape Kanin, near the White Sea, as far Eaft as the Ri-
ver Lena, I have given from the Great Ruffian Map, publilhed at Peterfburg in 1776,
including the Euxine, Cafpian, and Aral Seas, as alfo the principal lakes to the Eaftward 5
the intent of which is to Ihew the fource of the large rivers that empty themfelves into
the different oceans and feas.
Every other part of the chart not mentioned in this account, is as originally placed by
Captain Cook.
The whole has been corredled from the lateft aftronomical obfervations, feledled from
the Tables compiled by Mr. William Wales, F. R. S. and mathematical mafter of Chrift’s
Hofpital, for the Nautical Almanacs ; From thofe in the Mariner’s Guide by the Rev. Dr.
Mafkelyne, F. R. S. and Aftronomer Royal, publilhed in 1763 ; From the Connoiffance
des Temps for 1780 and 1781 ; From Profeflbr Mayer’s Geographical Table; From
the Voyages of Meffrs. d’Eveux de Fleuiieu, Verdun, de Borda, and Chabet, &c.; From
the Table lately publifhed by Mr. Dalrymple for the ufe of the Eaft India fhips ; From
the Philofophical Tranfadlions of the Royal Society; and from the Obfervations of our
late Navigators.
HEN^. ROBERTS.
Shoreham, Sussex, May 18, 1784.
that
INTRODUCTION.
Ixxxiii
that we fliall hear no more of the delay ; and only be grate-
ful to that munificent Patron of Science, who not only di-
redted the hiflory of the voyage to be publilhed ; but to be
publiflied with fuch a fplendid train of ornaments, at the
public expence, as will Rill add to the merit of having or-
dered the voyage itfelf to be undertaken.
And here it feems to be incumbent upon us to add, as
another inftance of munificent attention, that care has been
taken to mark, in the mofl fignificant manner, the juft fenfe
entertained of the humane and liberal relief afforded to our
fhips in Kamtfchatka. Colonel Behm, the commandant of
that province, has not been rewarded merely by the plea-
fure which a benevolent mind feels in refledling upon the
bleflings it confers; but has been thanked in a manner
equally confiftent with the dignity of his own fovereign
and of ours, to whofe fubjedfs he extended protedlion. A
magnificent piece of plate was prefented to him, with an
infcription, worthy of a place in the fame book where the
hiftory of his humanity to our countrymen is recorded, and
which, while it does honour to our national gratitude, de-
ferves alfo to be preferved as a monument of our national
tafte for elegant compofition. It is as follows :
ViRo EGREGio MAGNo DE Behm } qut, Imperatricls Auguf>-
tijjimce Catharine aufpiciis, Jummdque animi benignitate, fava^ quibus
praeraty Kamtfchatka littora, navibus nautifque Britannicis, hofpita
prabuit i eofquey tn terminiSyfi qut ejfent Imperio BuJJtcOyfruJlra explo-
randtSy mala mult a perpejfosy iter at d vice excepity refecit y recreavity et
commeatu omni cumulate audios dimifit-y Rei navalis Britannic^
Septemviri tn aliquam benevolenttce tarn infgnis memoriamy amici f-
fmOy gratijjimoque animo, fuoy patriceque nomine y D. D. D.
MDCCLXXXI.
1 2
This
I
Ixxxiv^
INTRODUCTION.
This teftimony of public gratitude, reminds the Editor,
that there are fimilar calls upon himfelf. lie owes much
to Captain King for his advice and direction, in a variety of
inftances, where Captain Cook’s Journal required explana-
tion ; for filling up feveral blanks with the proper longi-
tude and latitude ; and for fupplying deficiencies in the
tables of aftronomical obfervations.
Lieutenant Roberts was alfo frequently confulted, and
was always found to be a ready and efFe6lual afiiftant, when
any nautical difficulties were to be cleared up.
But particular obligations are due to Mr. Wales, who,
befides the valuable communications which have been
adopted in this Introdudlion, feconded moft liberally the
Editor’s views of ferving Mrs. Cook, by cheerfully taking
upon himfelf the whole trouble of digefting, from the log-
books, the tables of the route of the lliips, which add fo
greatly to the utility of this publication.
Mr. Wegg, befides fliaring in the thanks fo juftly due to
the committee of the Hudfon’s Bay Company, for their un-
referved communications, was particularly obliging to the
Editor, by giving him repeated opportunities of converfing
with Governor Hearne, and Captain Chriflopher.
The Honourable Mr. Daines Barrington had the good-
nefs to intereft himfelf, with his ufual zeal for every
work of public utility, in procuring fome neceffary in-
formation, and fuggefting fome valuable hints which were
adopted.
It would be great injuflice not to exprefs our acknow-
ledgments to Mr. Pennant, who, befides enriching the third
volume with references to his ArBic Zoology-) the publica-
tion of which will be an important acceflion to Natural
Hiftory, alfo communicated fome very authentic and fatis-
fa6tory manufcript accounts of the Ruffian difcoveries.
The
INTRODUCTION.
Ixxxv
The vocabularies of the Friendly and Sandwich Iflands,
and of the natives of Nootka, had been furnifhed to Cap-
tain Cook, by his moft ufeful alTociate in the voyage, Mr.
Anderfon ; and a fourth, in which the language of the
Efquimaux is compared with that of the Americans on the
oppolite fide of the continent, had been prepared by the
Captain himfelf. But the comparative Table of Numerals,
which is marked N° 2. in the Appendix, was very obli-
gingly drawn up, at the requefl; of the Editor, by Mr.
Bryant, who, in his ftudy, has followed Captain Cook,
and, indeed, every traveller and hiftorian, of every age,
into every part of the globe. The Public will confider this
Table as a very ftriking illuftration of the wonderful mi-
grations of a nation, about whom fo much additional in-
formation has been gained by our voyages, and be ready to
acknowledge it as a very ufeful communication.
One more communication remains to be not only ac-
knowledged, but to be inferted at the clofe of this Intro-
duction. The tejlimonies of learned contemporaries, in
commendation of a deceafed Author, are frequently dif-
played in the front of his book. It is with the greatefl; -
propriety, therefore, that we prefix to this pofihumous
work of Captain Cook the teftimony of one of his own
profeflion, not more diflinguiflied by the elevation of
rank, than by the dignity of private virtues. As he willies
to remain concealed, perhaps this allufion, for which we
intreat his indulgence, may have given too exacSl direc-
tion to the eyes of the Public where to look for fuch a
characSler. Let us, however, reft fatisfied with the intrinfic
merit of a compofition, conveyed under the injunction
of fecrecy ; and conclude our long preliminary dilTertation
with exprefting a wifli, or rather a well-grounded hope,
that
Ixxxvi
INTRODUCTION.
that this volume may not be the only place where pofle-
rity can meet with a monumental infcription, commemo-
rative of a man, in recounting and applauding whofe fer-
vices, the whole of enlightened Europe will equally concur
with Great Britain.
T O
[ Ixxxvii ] ■
TO THE MEMORY OF
Captain JAMES COOK,
The ableft and mofl: renowned Navigator this
or any country hath produced.
TJfE raifed himfelf^ folely by his merit, from a very obfcure
birth, to the rank of Pojl Captain in the royal navy,
and was, unfortunately, killed by the Savages of the ijland
Owhyhee, on the i^th of February 1779 ; which ifland he had,
not long before, difcovered, when profecuting his third voyage
'round the globe.
He poffejfed, in an eminent degree, all the qualifications
requifite for his profejjion and great undertakings ; together
with the amiable and worthy qualities of the beji men.
Cool and deliberate in judging : fugacious in determining :
adlive in executing : fteady and perfevering in enterprfing
from vigilance and unremitting caution : unfubdued by labour ,
difficulties, and difapp ointments : fertile in expedients : never
wanting prefence of mind : always pojf effing himfelf, and the
full ufe of a found underjlanding.
Mild, juji, but exaB in difcipline : he was a father to his
people, who were attached to him from affeSlion, and obedient
from confidence.
His knowledge, his experience, his fagacity, rendered him fo
entirely majler of his fubjeci, that the greateft objiacles were
furmounted, and the moji dangerous navigations became eafy,
pnd almoft fafe, under his direFlion.
He
Ixxxviii
INSCRIPTION TO THE
He explored the Southern hemifphere to a much higher la^
titude than had ever been reached^ and with fewer accidents
than frequently befal thofe who navigate the coafts of this
ijland.
By his benevolent and unabating attention to the welfare
of his /Inf’s company^ he difcovered and introduced a fyftem
for the prefervation of the health of feamen in long voyages,
which has proved wonderfully efficacious : for in his fecond voy-
age round the world, which continued upwards of three years,
helojl only one man by dijlemper, of one hundred and eighteen,
of which his company conftjied.
/‘he death of this eminent and valuable man was a lofs to
mankind in general ; and particularly to be deplored by every
nation that refpeBs ufeful accomplifloments, that honours fci-
ence, and loves the benevolent and amiable affediions of the
heart. It is Jiill more to be deplored by this country, which
may jujily boaji of having produced a man hitherto unequalled
for nautical talents ; and that forrow is farther aggravated
by the reflediion, that his country was deprived of this orna-
ment by the enmity of a people, from whom, indeed, it might
have been dreaded, but from whom it was not deferved. For,
adiuated always by the moji attentive care and tender com-
paffion for the favages in general, this excellent man was ever
affiduoujly endeavouring, by kind treatment, to diffipate their
fears, and court their friendjljip\ overlooking their thefts and
treacheries, and frequently interpojing, at the hazard of his
life, to protedi them from the fudden refentment of his own
injured people.
/he objedi of his laft miffiion was to difcover and afcer-
tain the boundaries of Afia and America, and to penetrate in-
to the Northern Ocean by the North Faft Cape of AJia.
/raveller I contemplate, admire, revere, and emulate this
great majler in his profeffiion ; whofe /kill and labours have en-
larged
MEMORY OF CAPTAIN COOK.
Ixxxix
larged natural philofophy ; have extended nautical fcience ;
and have difclofed the long-concealed and admirable arrange-
ments of the Almighty in the formation of this globe, and, at
the fame time, the arrogance of mortals, in prefuming to ac-
count, by their fpeculations, for the laws by which he was
pleafed to create it. It is now difcovered, beyond all doubt,
that the fame Great Being who created the univerfe by his
fiat, by the fame ordained our earth to keep a juji poife, with-
out a correfponding Southern continent — and it does fo ! “ He
“ Jiretches out the North over the empty place, and hangeth
“ the earth upon nothingl^ Job, xxvi. 7.
If the arduous but exa£l refearches of this extraordinary
man have not difcovered a new world, they have difcovered
feas unnavigated and unknown before. They have made us
acquainted with {/lands, people and produ&ions, of which we
had no conception. And if he has not been fo fortunate as
Americas to give his name to a continent, his pretenfions to
fuch a diftinBion remain unrivalled ; and he will be revered,
while there remains a page of his own modejl account of his
voyages, and as long as mariners and geographers floall be in-
JlruBed, by bis new map of the Southern hemifphere, to trace
the various courfes and difcoveries he has made.
If public fervices merit public acknowledgments ; if the man
who adorned and raifed the fame of his country is defer ving of
honours, then Captain Cook deferves to have a monument
raifed to his memory, by a generous and grateful nation.
Virtutis uberrimum alimentum eft honos,
Val. Maximus, Lib. ii. Cap. 6.
VoL. L
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[ xci ]
LIST OF THE PLATES,
With Directions for placing them.
[As many of the Purchafers of this Work may choofe to preferve
the larger-fized Plates in a feparate volume in folio, thefe
have been here marked with Afterifks ; and Bookfellers are
cautioned not to have them bound up, with the red; of the
Plates, in the places of thefe volumes pointed out by the re-
fpeftive References, unlefs they receive particular directions
for that purpofe.]
VOL. I.
Page Plate N*
I ^General Chart exhibiting Captain Cook’s
difcoveries - - - I.
51 Chart of Kerguelen’s Land, with a Iketch of
Prince Edward’s Iflands - - II.
61 Sketches of Chridmas Harbour, and Port
Pallifer, in Kerguelen’s Land - - III.
71 ^View of Chridmas Harbour in Kerguelen’s
Land - - _ » IV.
83 Views on the Coad of Kerguelen’s Land LXXXII.
91 Chart and Views of Van Diemen’s Land - V.
96 *A Man of Van Diemen’s Land - VI.
loi *A Woman of Van Diemen’s Land - VII.
109 *An Opodum of Van Diemen’s Land - VIII.
t A few of the Plates are not numbered in the order in which they are to be placed ;
but no inconvenience can enfue, as the references to the Pages of each Volume will
remedy this unavoidable imperfedion.
m 2
xcli LIST OF THE PLATES.
Page Plate N*
1 17 Plan of Adventure Bay, in Van Diemen’s
Land - - - - IX.
157 *The Inlide of a Hippah, in New Zealand X.
173 *A Man of Mangea - _ _ XL
225 Chart of the Friendly Illands - - XII.
230 *View at Annamooka - - XIII.
244 ^The Reception of Captain Cook in Hapaee XIV.
246 ^A Boxing Match in Hapaee - - XV.
249 *A Night Dance by Men in Hapaee - XVI.
250 *A Night Dance by Women in Hapaee - XVII.
264 ^Poulaho, King of the Friendly Iflands - XVIII.
277 Sketch of Tongataboo Harbour - - XIX.
312 ^Poulaho, King of the Friendly Illands,
drinking Kava _ - _ XX.
314 ^A Fiatooka or Moraiy in Tongataboo - XXL
337 *The Natchcy a Ceremony in honour of the
King’s Son, in Tongataboo - - XXII.
355 *A Woman of Eaoo or Eooa - XXIIL
VOL. II.
5 Sketches of Mangea, Vol. i. p. 170 j — of
Wateeoo, Vol. i. p. 180;— of Wenooa
ette, Vol. i. p. 205; — and of Toobouai - XXIV.
32 *A Human Sacrifice in -ai Moraiy in Otaheite XXV.
51 *A young Woman of Otaheite bringing a
prefent _ _ . - XXVII.
52 *The Body of Tee, a Chief, as preferved af-
ter death, in Otaheite - - XXVI.
58 *A Dance, in Otaheite - - XXVIII.
69 *A young Woman of Otaheite, dancing - XXIX..
79 Sketch of two Harbours on the North fide
of Eimeo - - _ XXX.
xcm
LIST OF THE FLAl'J
Page
91 view of Huaheine - - _
179 Chriftmas Ifland - -
200 *A Moral in Atooi _ _ _
202 *The Infide of the Houfe in the Moral, in
Atooi _ _ - -
205 *An Inland View in Atooi - - -
258 Views on the Weft coaft of North America
269 ^Chart of the North Weft coaft of North
America, and North Eaft coaft of Alia -
279 Sketch of Nootka Sound - -
295 *A Sea Otter - - _ _
301 *A Man of Nootka Sound _ _ _
303 ^A Woman of Nootka Sound
306 ^Various Articles at Nootka Sound -
1 . A bird, made of wood j hollow, with ftones
in the infide, which the Natives lhake
when they dance.
2. A Seal’s head, made of wood, worn upon
their heads.
3. A bird’s head, compofed of wood and fea-
thers, alfo worn upon their heads.
4. Another for the fame purpofe, and orna-
mented with green talc.
313 *View of the Habitations in Nootka Sound
317 *The Infide of a Houfe in Nootka Sound -
333 Chart of Cook’s River, and Prince William’s
Sound _ _ - _
361 *A view of Snug Corner Cove in Prince
William’s Sound _ _ _
367 *A Man of Prince William’s Sound -
369 *A Woman of Prince William’s Sound
; S.
Plate N®
XXXI.
XXXII.
XXXIII.
XXXIV.
XXXV.
LXXXVI.
XXXVI.
XXXVII.
XLIIL
XXXVIIL
XXXIX.
XL.
XLI.^
XLII.
XLIV.
XLV.
XL VI.
XLVIL
ACir
LIST OF THE PLATES.
Page
410 Views on the Weft coaft of North America,
to the Weftward of Cook’s River -
421 ^A Man of Oonalafhka - -
422 *A Woman of Oonalafhka _ _ »
423 ^Canoes of Oonalafhka - -
424 Sketch of Samganoodha Harbour at the
Ifland Oonalafhka - _ _
446 *The Tfchuktfchi, or Tfchutfki, and their
Habitations _ - _ -
456 *Sea Horfes _ _ _ _
466 Chart of Norton Sound and Beering’s Strait
470 Views on the coaft of Afia _ » «
483 ^Inhabitants of Norton Sound, and their
Habitations _ _ _ _
509 *Caps of the Natives of Oonalafhka -
3:11 ^Natives of Oonalafhka, and their Habita-
tions - - - -
313 *The Infide of a Houfe in Oonalafhka
529 Views of the Sandwich Iflands
VOL. III.
I Chart of the Sandwich Iflands, and View of
Karakakooa Bay _ _ _
13 *An Offering before Captain Cook in the
Sandwich Iflands _ _ _
17 ^Tereoboo or Terreeoboo, King of Owhyhee,
bringing prefents to Captain Cook
27 *A Man of the Sandwich Iflands, dancing -
54 ^A View of Karakakooa in Owhyhee -
125 *A young Woman of the Sandwich Iflands -
Plate N"
LXXXVII.
XLVIII.
XLIX.
L.
LV.
LI.
LIL
LIII.
LXXXIV.
LIV.
LVI.
LVII.
LVIll.
LXXXIII.
LIX.
LX.
LXI.
LXII.
LXVIII.
LXIII.
LIST OF THE PLATES.
xcr
Page Plate N*
126 *A Man of the Sandwich Iflands, with his
helmet _ . - - LXIV.
1 39 *A Canoe of the Sandwich Iflands, the Row-
ers maflced - - ’ - - LXV.
140 *A Man of the Sandwich Iflands in a maflc LXVI.
J51 ^Various Articles at the Sandwich Iflands - LXVII.
N° I. A wooden Inftrument or Weapon, fet round
with the teeth of Sharks, with which they
cut up their prifoners.
2. Another, for the fame purpofe. -
3. A mufical Inftrument j the upper part wicker-
work, covered with feathers ; the bottom
part a gourd with ftones in it, which the
dancer (hakes about. — See Plate LXII.
4. An Idol upon wicker-work, covered with
feathers j the eyes mother of pearl, with a
black nut ; the mouth fet with teeth of
dogs.
5. A Bracelet, compofed of the tulks of hogs.
6. A wooden Dagger called Pahooah.
184 Sketch of Awatfka Bay in Kamtfchatka - LXIX.
201 *A Man in Kamtfchatka travelling in winter LXX.
202 *A Sledge in Kamtfchatka - - - LXXI.
215 *A View at Bolcheretfk or Bolcheretzkoi in
Kamtfchatka ----- LXXII.
252 *A white Bear - - - - LXXIII.
281 *A View of the Town and Harbour of St.
Peter and St. Paul, in Kamtfchatka - - LXXIV.
312 Views on the coafl: of Kamtfchatka - - LXXXV.
358 *A Man of Kamtfchatka - - - LXXV.
359 *A Woman of Kamtfchatka - - - LXX VI.
373 ^Summer and Winter Habitations in Kamt-
fchatka - - - - - LXXVII.
XCVl
LIST OF THE PLATES.
Page
375 ^The Infide of a Winter Habitation in
Plate N*
Kamtfchatka
395 Chart of the Coaft of Japan
407 Sketch of Sulphur Ifland
417 Sketch of the Typa and Macao
LXXVIIL
LXXIX.
LXXX.
LXXXI.
[N. B. The longitude in thefe Volumes is reckoned from
the meridian of Greenwich, and after paffing it to the Eaft, in
the South Atlantic, is carried on Eafterly beyond the 180th
degree, to the utmoll extent of the voyage j and back, to the
fame meridian.]
A VOYAGE
A
V
0
Y
T 0
A
T H F
G
E
PAG
I F I
c
X X Jl
0
C E
A N,
BOOK 1.
TRANSACTIONS FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE VOYAGE TILL
OUR DEPARTURE FROM NEW ZEALAND.
CHAP. 1.
Various Preparations for the Voyage. — OmaPs Behaviour
on embarking. — Obfervations for determining the Lon-
gitude of Sheernefs, and the North Foreland. — Paffage
of the Refolution from Deptford to Plymouth. — Employ-
ments there. — Complements of the Crews of both Ships,
and Names of the Officers. — Obfervations to fix the Longi-
tude of Plymouth. — Departure of the Refolution.
Having, on the ninth Day of February 1776, re-
ceived a commiffion to command his Majefty’s
hoop the Refolution, I went on board the next day,
hoifted the pendant, and began to enter men. At the fame
time, the Difcovery, of three hundred tons burthen, was
VoL. I. B purchafed
1776.
February,
' r-—J
Saturday lo
2
A VOYAGE TO
1776.
February.
March.
Saturday 9.
May.
Monday 6.
Thurfday 30.
June.
Saturday 8.
piirchafed into the fervice, anil the command of her given
to Captain Clerke, who had been my fecond Lieutenant on
board theRefohition, in my fecond voyage round the world,
from which we had lately returned.
Thefe two fliips were, at this time, in the dock at Dept-
ford, under the hands of the fliipwrights ; being ordered to
be equipped to make farther difcoveries in the Pacific Ocean,
under my diredtion.
On the 9th of March, the Refolution was hauled out of
dock into the River; where we completed her rigging, and
took on board the ftores and provifions requifite for a voy-
age of fuch duration. Both fliips, indeed, were fupplied
with as much of every necefiTary article as we could conve-
niently flow, and with the befi: of every kind that could be
procured. And, befides this, every thing that had been
found, by the experience acquired during our former ex-
tenfive voyages, to be of any utility in preferving the health
of feamen, was fupplied in abundance.
It was our intention to have failed to Long Reach on the
6th of May, when a pilot came on board to carry us thither;
but it was the 29th before the wind would permit us to
move ; and the 30th before we arrived at that ftation, where
our artillery, powder, fliot, and other ordnance ftores were
received.
While we lay in Long Reach, thus employed, the Earl of
Sandwich, Sir Hugh Pallifer, and others of the Board of Ad-
miralty, as the laft mark of the very great attention they
had all along fliewn to this equipment, paid us a vifit on
the 8th of June, to examine whether every thing had been
completed conformably to their intentions and orders, and-
to the fatisfadfion of all who were to embark in the voyage.
They, and feveral other Noblemen and Gentlemen their
friends,
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
3
friends, honoured me with their company at dinner on that
day ; and, on their coming on board, and alfo on their go-
ing alliore, we faluted them with feventeen guns, and three
cheers.
With the benevolent view of conveying fome permanent
benefit to the inhabitants of Otaheite, and of the other
illands in the Pacific Ocean, whom we might happen to
vilit, his Majefly having commanded fome ufeful animals
to be carried out, we took on board, on the loth, a buU,
two cows with their calves, and fome fheep, with hay and
corn for their fubfiftence ; intending to add to thefe, other
ufeful animals, when I fliould arrive at the Cape of Good
Hope.
I was alfo, from the fame laudable motives, furnifhed
with a fufficient quantity of fuch of our European garden
feeds, as could not fail to be a valuable prefent to our newly-
difcovered iflands, by adding frefh fupplies of food to their
own vegetable produdfions.
Many other articles, calculated to improve the condition
of our friends in the other hemifphere in various ways,
were, at the fame time, delivered to us by order of the
Board of Admiralty. And both fliips were provided with a
proper affortment of iron tools and trinkets, as the means
of enabling us to traffic, and to cultivate a friendly inter-
courfe with the inhabitants of fuch new countries as we
might be fortunate enough to meet with.
The fame humane attention was extended to our own
wants. Some additional clothing, adapted to a cold climate,
was ordered for our crews : and nothing was denied to us
that could be fuppofed in the leaft conducive to health, or
even to convenience.
Nor did the extraordinary care of thofe at the head of the
B 2 naval
f776.
June.
Monday lo.
4
A VOYAGE TO
I
c
1776. naval department flop here. They were equally folicitous
. . to afford us every affiftance towards rendering our voyage
of public utility. Accordingly, we received on board, next
Tuefdayii. day, feveral aftronomical and nautical inftruments, which
the Board of Longitude intrufted to me, and to Mr. King,
my fecond Lieutenant ; we having engaged to that Board to
make all the neceffary obfervations, during the voyage, for
the improvement of aftronomy and navigation ; and, by our
joint labours, to fupply the place of a profeffed obfervator.
Such a perfon had been originally intended to be fent out in
my Blip.
The Board, likewife, put into our poffeffion the fame
watch, or time-keeper, which I had carried out in my laft
voyage, and had performed its part fo well. It was a copy
of Mr. Harrifon’s, conftrudted by Mr. Kendall. This day, at
noon, it was found to be too flow for mean time at Green-
wich, by 3^ 31"^, 89; and by its rate of going, it loft, on
mean time, 209 per day.
Another time-keeper, and the fame number and fort of
inftruments for making obfervations, were put on board the
Difcovery, under the care of Mr. William Bayly ; who,
having already given fatisfa6tory proofs of his fkill and di-
ligence as an obfervator, while employed in Captain Fur-
neaux’s fliip, during the late voyage, was engaged a fecond
time, in that capacity, to embark with Captain Clerke.
Mr. Anderfon, my furgeon, who, to fkill in his immediate
profeftion, added great proficiency in natural hiftory, was
as willing as he was well qualified, to defcribe every thing
in that branch of fcience which fliould occur worthy of no-
tice. As he had already vifited the South Sea iflands in the
fame ftiip, and been of fingular fervice, by- enabling me to
enrich my relation of that voyage with various ufeful re-
marks
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
5
marks on men and things '-iS I reafonably expelled to derive 1776.
confiderable affiftance from him, in recording onr new pro- ^ .
ceedings.
I had feveral young men amongft my fea-officers, who,
under my dire6i:ion, could be ufefully employed in conftru6l-
ing charts, in taking views of the coafts and headlands near
which we Iliould pafs, and in drawing plans of the bays and
harbours in which we fliould anchor. A conftant attention
to this I knew to be highly requilite, if we would render
our difcoveries profitable to future navigators.
And, that we might go out with every help that could
ferve to make the refult of our voyage entertaining to the
generality of readers, as well as inftrudlive to the failor and
fcholar, Mr. Webber was pitched upon, and engaged to em-
bark with me, for the exprefs purpofe of fupplying the un-
avoidable imperfe^Iions of written accounts, by enabling us
to preferve, and to bring home, fuch drawings of the moft:
memorable fcenes of our tranfadlions, as could only be exe-
cuted by a profefled and fkilful artift.
Every preparation being now completed, I received an
order to proceed to Plymouth, and to take the Difcovery
under my command. I accordingly gave Captain Clerke
two orders ; one to put himfelf under my command, and
the other to carry his fliip round to Plymouth.
On the 15th, the Refolution failed from Long Reach, Saturday 15.
with the Difcovery in company, and the fame evening they
anchored at the Nore. Next day the Difcovery proceeded,
in obedience to my order ; but the Refolution was ordered
* The very copious Vocabulary of the language of Ctaheite, and the comparative
fpecimen of the languages of the feveral other iflands vifited during the former voyage,
and publiflied in Captain Cook’s account of it, were furnifhed by Mr. Anderfon.
to
6
A VOYAGE TO
1776. to remain at the Nore till I lliould join her, being at this
June. time in J.ondon.
As we were to touch at Otaheite and the Society Illands,
in onr way to the intended fcene of our frefli operations, it
had been determined not to omit this opportunity (the
only one ever likely to happen) of carrying Omai back to
his native country. Accordingly, every thing being ready
for our departure, he and I fet out together from London
Monday 24. 011 the 24th, at lix o’clock ill the morning. We reached
Chatham between ten and eleven o’clock; and, after dining
with Commiffioner Proby, he very obligingly ordered his
yacht to carry us to Sheernefs, where my boat was waiting
to take us on board.
Omai left London with a mixture of regret and fatisfac-
tion. When we talked about England, and about thofe
who, during his ft ay, had honoured him with their protec-
tion or friendfliip, I could obferve that his fpirits were fen-
fibly affe6led, and that it was with difficulty he could refrain
from tears. But, the inftant the converfation turned to his
own illands, his eyes began to fparkle with joy. He was
deeply impreffed with a fenfe of the good treatment he had
met with in England, and entertained the higheft ideas of
the country and of the people. But the pleaffng profpedl he
now had before him of returning home, loaded wdth what,
he well knew, would be efteemed invaluable treafures there,
and the flattering hope which the pofleflion of thefe gave
him, of attaining to a diftinguiflied fuperiority amongft his
countrymen, were confiderations which operated, by de-
grees, to fupprefs every uneafy fenfation ; and he feemed to
be quite happy when he got on board the fliip.
He was furniflied, by his Majefty, with an ample provi-
fion of every, article which, during oar intercourfe with his
country,
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
7
country, we had obferved to be in any eflimation there, 1776.
either as ufeful or as ornamental. He had, belides, received , .
many prefents of the fame nature from Lord Sandwich,
Mr. Banks, and feveral other Gentlemen and Ladies of his
acquaintance. In fliort, every method had been employed,
both during his abode in England, and at his departure, to
make him the inftrument of conveying to the inhabitants
of the illands of the Pacific Ocean, the mofi: exalted opinion
of the greatnefs and generofity of the Britifh nation.
While the Refolution lay at the Nore, Mr. King made
feveral obfervations for finding the longitude by the watch.
The mean of them all, gave 0° 44^ for the longitude of
the fliip. This, reduced to Sheernefs, by the bearing and
eftimated diftance, will make that place to be 0° 37^ d' Eafl;
of Greenwich ; which is more by feven miles than Mr.
Lyons made it, by the watch which Lord Mulgrave had
with him, on his voyage toward the North Pole. Whoever
knows any thing of the diftance between Sheernefs and
Greenwich, will be a judge which of thefe two obferva-
tions is neareft the truth.
The variation of the needle here, by a mean of different
fets, taken with different compaffes, was 20° 37^ Weft.
On the 25th, about noon, we weighed anchor, and made Tuefday 25.
fail for the Downs, through the Queen’s Channel, with a
gentle breeze at North Weft by Weft. At nine in the even-
ing we anchored, with the North Foreland bearing South
by Eaft, and Margate Point South Weft by South.
Next morning, at two o’clock, we weighed and flood Wednef. 26.
round the Foreland ; and when it bore North by the com-
pafs, the watch gave 1° 24' Eaft longitude, which, reduced
* Now Sir Jofeph.
to
8
A VOYAGE TO
1776.
June.
^ ;
Thurfday 27.
Sunday 30.
July.
Monday i.
Tuefday 2.
to the Foreland, will be i° 11' Eaft. Lunar obfervations
made the preceding evening, fixed it at 1° 20' Eaft. At
eight o’clock the fame morning, we anchored in the Downs.
Two boats had been built for us at Deal, and I immediately
fent on fliore for them. I was told that many people had
aflembled there to fee Omai ; but, to their great difappoint-
ment, he did not land.
Having received the boats on board, and a light breeze at
South South Eaft fpringing up, we got under fail the next
day at two o’clock in the afternoon. But the breeze foon
died away, and we were obliged to anchor again till ten
o’clock at night. We then weighed, with the wind at Eaft,
and proceeded down the Channel.
On the 30th, at. three o’clock in the afternoon, we an-
chored in Plymouth Sound, where the Difcovery had arrived
only three days before. I faluted Admiral Amherft, whofe
flag was flying on board the Ocean, with thirteen guns, and
he returned the compliment with eleven.
It was the firft objecft of our care, on arriving at Ply-
mouth, to replace the water and provifions that we had
expended, and to receive on board a fupply of Port Wine.
This was the employment which occupied us on the ift and
2d of July.
During our ftay here, the crews were ferved with frefh
beef every day. And I fliould not do juftice to Mr. Omman-
ney, the Agent Vidlualler, if I did not take this opportunity
to mention, that he fiiewed a very obliging readinels to fur-
nifti me with the beft of every thing that lay within his de-
partment. I had been under the like obligations to him
on my letting out upon my laft voyage. Commiflioner
Ourry, with equal zeal for the fervice, gave us every af-
fiftance that we wanted from the naval yard.
It
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
9
It could not but occur to us as a lingular and affecting 1776.
circumllance, that at the very inftant of our departure up- ,
on a voyage, the object of which was to benefit Europe by
making frefh difcoveries in North America, there fhould
be the unhappy neceflity of employing others of his Ma-
jefiy’s Ihips, and of conveying numerous bodies of land
forces, to fecure the obedience of thofe parts of that con-
tinent which had been difcovered and fettled by our coun-
trymen in the lafi: century. On the 6th, his Majefty’s fliips Saturday 6.
Diamond, Ambufcade, and Unicorn, with a fleet of tranf-
ports, confifting of fixty-two fail, bound to America, with
the lafi: dlivifion of the Heflian troops, and fome horfe, were
forced into the Sound by a ftrong North Weft Wind.
On the 8th, I received, by exprefs, my inftrucftions for Monday s.
the voyage, and an order to proceed to the Cape of Good
Hope with the Refolution. I was aifo direcfted to leave an
order for Captain Clerke to follow us, as foon as he fliouid
join his fhip ; he being, at this time, detained in London.
Our firft difcoverers of the New World, and navigators
of the Indian and Pacific Oceans, were juftly thought to
have exerted fuch uncommon abilities, and to have accom-
plifhed fuch perilous enterprizes, that their names have
been handed down to pofterity as fo many Argonauts.
Nay, even the hulks of the fliips that carried them, though
not converted into conftellations in the Heavens, ufed to be
honoured and vifited as facred reliques upon earth. We,
in the prefent age of improved navigation, who have been
inftrudted by their labours, and have followed them as our
guides, have no fuch -claim to fame. Some merit, however,
being ftill, in the public opinion, confidered as due to thofe
* See the inftrudions, in the Introdudlion.
VoL. I.
c
who
10
A VOYAGE TO
1776.
July.
U —
Tuefday 9.
who fail to unexplored quarters of the globe, in conform ity
to this favourable judgment, I prefixed to the account of
my lafi: voyage the names of the officers of both my fliipSy
and a table of the number of their refpecStive crews. The
like information will be expedled from me at prefent.
The Refolution was fitted out with the fame complement
of officers and men ffie had before ; and the Difcovery’s
eftablifliment varied from that of the Adventure, in the
fingle inftance of her having no marine officer on board.
This arrangement was to be finally completed at Plymouth ;
and, on the 9th, we received the party of marines allotted
for our voyage. Colonel Bell, who commanded the divi-
fion at this port, gave me fuch men for the detachment as
I had reafon to be fatisfied with. And the fupernumerary
feamen, occafioned by this reinforcement, being turned
over into the Ocean man of war, our feveral complements
remained fixed, as reprefented in the following table :
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
II
R E S O ]
L U
T I
0
\
DISCOVERY.
Officers and Men.
N»
Offi
cers Names.
N“
Officers Names.
Captain, - —
I
James Cook. — —
I
Charles Clerke.
Lieutenants, - -
3
John Gore. — —
2-,
James Burney.
James King. — —
John Rickman.
John Williamfon.
Mafter, — -
I
William Bligh. —
I
Thomas Edgar.
Boatfwain, - —
I
William Ewin. —
I
Eneas Atkins.
Carpenter, - -
I
James Clevely. -
I
Peter Reynolds.
Gunner, — —
I
Robert Anderfon. -
I
William Peckover.
Surgeon, — —
I
William Anderfon.
I
John Law.
Mafter's Mates, -
3
m, ...
2
Midfhipmen, -
6
—
« -
4
Surgeon’s Mates,—
2
-
^ -
2
Captain’s Clerk, —
I
—
— —
I
Mafter at Arms, -
I
—
I
Corporal, - -
I
Armourer, ~ -
I
— -.
I
Ditto Mate, — —
I
mm
I
Sail Maker, — —
I
—
I
Ditto Mate, — -
I
~ —
I
Boatfwain’s Mates,
3
_
_ ...
2
Carpenter’s Ditto,
3
-
- -
2
Gunner’s Ditto, -
2
I
Carpenter’s Crew,
4
-
_ —
4
Cook, — —
I
—
- .
I
Ditto Mate, — —
I
Quarter Mafters, -
6
4
Able Seamen, -
45
-
-
33
Marines.
Lieutenant, — -
I
Molefworth Philips.
Serjeant, — -
I
-
- -
I
Corporals, - -
2
-
-
I
Drummer, - -
I
—
Pi. -
I
Private, - -
15
-
8
Total - -
I 12
-
-
80
C 2
12
A VOYAGE TO
1776.
July.
V_— V f
Wednef. 10.
Thurfday 1 1.
Friday 12.
On the loth, the Commiffioner and Pay Clerks came on
board, and paid the officers and crew np to the 30th of laft
month. The petty officers and feamen had, befides, two
months wages in advance. Such indulgence to the latter is
no more than what is cuftomary in the navy. But the pay-
ment of what was due to the fuperior officers was humanely
ordered by the Admiralty, in confideration of our peculiar
lituation, that we might be better able to defray the very
great expence of furnilhing ourfelves with a ftock of necef-
faries for a voyage which, probably, would be of unufual
duration, and to regions where no fupply could be expected.
Nothing now obftrudting my departure but a contrary
wind, which blew ftrong at South Weft, in the morning of
the nth, I delivered into the hands of Mr. Burney, firft
Lieutenant of theDifcovery, Captain Clerke’s failing orders ;
a copy of which I alfo left with the Officer commanding
his Majefty’s fliips at Plymouth, to be delivered to the Cap-
tain immediately on his arrival. In’ the afternoon, the wind
moderating, we weighed with the ebb, and got farther out,
beyond all the fliipping in the Sound ; where, after making
an unfuccefsful attempt to get to fea, we were detained
moft of the following day, which was employed in receiving
on board a fupply of water ; and, by the fame veflel that
brought it, all the empty calks were returned.
As I did not imagine my ftay at Plymouth would have
been fo long as it proved, we did not get our inftruments on
ftiore to make the neceflary obfervations for afcertaining
the longitude by the watch. For the fame reafon, Mr. Bayly
did not fet about this, till he found that the Difcovery would
probably be detained fome days after us. He then placed
♦ Captain Le Crafs, Admiral Amherft having ftruck his flag fome days before.
his
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
13
his quadrant upon Drake’s Illand ; and had time, before 1776.
the Refolution failed, to make obfervations fufficient for .
"k ■■
the purpofe we had in view. Our watch made the ifland
to lie 4° 14", and his, 4° Weft of Greenwich. Its lati-
tude, as found by Meflirs. Wales and Bayly, on the laft
voyage, is 50° 21' 30'^ North.
We weighed again at eight in the evening, and ftood
out of the Sound, with a gentle breeze at North Weft by
Weft.
CHAP.
A VOYAGE TO
C H A P. II
Pajfage of the Refolution to ’Teneriffe. — Reception there. —
Defcription of Santa Cruz Road. — Refrejhments to be met
‘with. — Obfervations for fixing the Longitude of ’Lener iff e. —
Some Account of the IJland. — Botanical Obfervations. —
Cities of Santa Cruz and Laguna. — Agriculture. — Air
and Climate. — Commerce. — Inhabitants.
Friday i2.
Sunday 14.
Tuefday 16.
Wednef. 17.
Thurfday 1 8.
WE had not been long out of Plymouth Sovind, before
the wind came more wefterly, and blew frefli, fo
that we were obliged to ply down the Channel ; and it was
not till the 14th, at eight in the evening, that we were off
the Lizard.
On the 1 6th, at noon, St. Agnes’s Light-houfe on the Ifles
of Scilly bore North Weft by Weft, diftant feven or eight
miles. Our latitude was now 49° 53' North, and our
longitude, by the watch, 6° 11' Weft. Hence, I reckon that
St. Agnes’s Light-houfe is in 49° 57' 30^' North latitude, and
in 6° 20^ of Weft longitude.
On the 17th "'i'- and i8th we were olFUfliant, and found the
longitude of the ifland to be, by the watch, 5° 18' 37^^ Weft.
The variation was 23° o" 50"", in the fame dire<ftion.
* It appears from Captain Cook’s log-book, that he began bis judicious operations
for preferving the health of his crew, very early in the voyage. On the 17th, the fhip
Was fmoked between decks with gun-powder. The fpare fails alfo were then well
aired.
With
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
15
With a ftrong gale at South, on the 19th, we flood to
the weftward, till eight o’clock in the morning ; when,
the wind fhifting to the Weft and North Weft, we tacked
and ftretched to the Southward. At this time, we faw
nine fail of large fhips, which we judged to be French
men of war. They took no particular notice of us, nor we
of them.
At ten o’clock in the morning of the aad, we faw Cape
Ortegal ; which at noon bore South Eaft, half South, about
four leagues diftant. At this time we were in the latitude
of 44° 6' North; and our longitude, by the watch, was
8° 23^ Weft.
After two days of calm weather we pafled Cape Finif-
terre, on the afternoon of the 24th, with a fine gale at
North North Eaft. The longitude of this Cape, by the
watch, is 9° 29'' Weft; and, by the mean of forty-one lunar
obfervations, made before and after we pafled it, and re-
duced to it by the watch, the refult was 9° 19' 12"^
On the 30th, at fix minutes and thirty-eight feconds paft
ten o’clock at night, apparent time, I obferved, with a
night telefcope, the moon totally eclipfed. By the epheme-
ris, the fame happened at Greenwich at nine minutes
paft eleven o’clock ; the diflerence being one hour, two
minutes, and twenty-two feconds, or 15° 35' 30"" of longi-
tude. The watch, for the fame time, gave 15° 26" 45'' lon-
gitude Weft; and the latitude was 31° 10^ North. No other
obfervation could be made on this eclipfe, as the moon was
hid behind the clouds the greater part of the time ; and,
in particular, when the beginning and end of total dark-
nefs, and the end of the eclipfe, happened.
Finding that we had not hay and corn fuflicient for the
fubfiftence of the flock of animals on board, till our arrival
at
1776;
July.
Friday 19.
Monday 22.
Wednef. 24.
Tuefday 30.
*
A VOYAGE TO
i6
1776.
July.
V—
Wednef. 31.
Augufl.
7'hurfday i.
at the Cape of Good Hope, I determined to touch at Tene-
riffe, to get a fupply of thefe, and of the ufual refrefhments
for ourfelves ; thinking that illand, for fuch piirpofes, bet-
ter adapted than Madeira. At four in the afternoon of the
31ft, we faw Teneriffe, and fleered for the eailern part. At
nine, being near it, we hauled up, and flood off and on
during the night.
At day -light, on the morning of the ifl of Augufl, we
failed round the Eafl Point of the illand ; and, about eight
o’clock, anchored on the South Eall fide of it, in the Road
of Santa Cruz, in twenty-three fathoms water ; the bottom,
fand and ooze. Punta de Nago, the Eafl point of the Road,
bore North 64° Eafl ; St. Francis’s church, remarkable for
its high fleeple, Wefl South Weft ; the Pic, South 65° Weft ;
and the South Weft point of the Road, on which Hands a
fort or caftle. South 39° Weft. In this fituation, we moored
North Eafl and South Weft, with a cable each way, being
near half a mile from the fliore.
We found, riding in this Road, LaBouffole, aFrench fri-
gate, commanded by the Chevalier de Borda ; two brigan-
tines of the fame nation ; an Englifh brigantine from Lon-
don, bound to Senegal ; and fourteen fail of Spanifli velfels.
No fooner had we anchored,, than we were vifited by the
Mailer of the Port, who fatisfied himfelf with alking the
fliip’s name. Upon his leaving us, I fent an officer afliore,
to prefent my refpecfts to the Governor ; and to afk his leave
to take in water, and to purchafe fuch articles as we were in
want of. All this he granted with the greateft politenefs ;
and, foon after, fent an officer on board, to compliment me
on my arrival. In the afternoon, I waited upon him in per-
fon, accompanied by fome of my officers ; and, before I
returned to my fhip, befpoke fome corn and fir aw for the
live
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
17
live flock ; ordered a quantity of wine from Mr. M^Carrick, 1776.
the contradlor, and made an agreement with the mailer of
a Spanifli boat to fupply us with water, as I found that we
could not do it ourfelves.
The road of Santa Cruz is lituated before the town of the
fame name, on the South Eall lide of the illand. It is, as I
am told, the principal road of Teneriffe, for fhelter, capa-
city, and the goodnefs of its bottom. It lies entirely open
to the South Eall: and South winds. But thefe winds are
never of long continuance ; and, they fay, there is not an
inllance of a Ihip driving from her anchors on lliore.
This may, in part, be owing to the great care they take in
mooring them ; for I obferved, that all the Ihips we met
with there, had four anchors out ; two to the North Eall,
and two to the South Well; and their cables buoyed up with
calks. Ours fuffered a little by not obferving this lalt pre-
caution.
At the South Well part of the road, a Hone pier runs out
into the fea from the town, for the convenience of loading
and landing of goods. To this pier, the water that fupplies
the Ihipping is conveyed. This, as alfo what the inhabit-
ants of Santa Cruz ufe, is derived from a rivulet that runs
from the hills, the greatell part of which comes into the
town in wooden fpouts or troughs, that are fupported by
Bender polls, and the remainder doth not reach the fea ;
though it is evident, from the lize of the channel, that
* Though no fuch inftance was known to thofe from whom Captain Cook had
this information, we learn from Glas, that fame years before he was at Teneriffe, al-
mojl all the Jhipping in the road were driven on Jhore. See Glas's Hijl. of the Canary
Ifands, p. 235. We may well fuppofe the precautions now ufed, have prevented
any more fuch accidents happening. This will flifficiently juftify Captain Cook’s ac-
count. ; ;
VoL. I. D fometimes
i8
A VOYAGE TO
1776. fometimes large torrents nilh down. At this time tliefe
. troughs were repairing, fo that frelli water, which is very
good here, was fcarce.
Were we to judge from the appearance of the country in
the neighbourhood of Santa Cruz, it might be concluded
that Teneriffe is a barren fpot, infufficient to maintain even
its own inhabitants. The ample fuppliesy however, which
we received, convinced us that they had enough to fpare
for vihters. Befides wine, which is the chief produce of
the ifland, beef may be had at a moderate price. The oxen
are fmall and honey, and weigh about ninety pounds a
quarter. The meat is but lean, and was, at prefent, fold
for half a bit (three pence fterling) a pound. I, unadvi-
fedly, bought the bullocks alive, and paid confiderably
more. Hogs, flieep, goats and poultry, are likewife to be
bought at the fame moderate rate ; and fruits are in great
plenty. At this time we had grapes, figs, pears, mulber-
ries, plantains, and mufk melons. There is a variety of
other fruits produced here, though not in feafon at this
time. Their pumpkins, onions, and potatoes, are exceed-
ingly good of their kind, and keep better at fea than any I
ever before met with.
The Indian corn, which is alfo their produce, cofi: me
about three fliillings and fixpence a bulhel ; and the fruits
and roots were, in general, very cheap. They have not any
])lentiful fupply of fiflr from the adjoining fea ; but a very
confiderable fifiiery is carried on by their veflTels upon the
coafi; of Barbary ; and the produce of it fells at a reafonable
price. Upon the whole, I found Teneriffe to be a more
eligible place than Madeira, for fhips bound on long voyages
to touch at; though the wine of the latter, according to my
tafte, is as much fuperior to that of the former, as ftrong
beer
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
^9
beer is to fmall. To compenfate for this, the difference of 1776.
prices is con fider able ; for the beft Tenerilfe wine was now . ^
fold for twelve pounds a pipe ; whereas a pipe of the beft
Madeira would have coft conliderably more than double
that fum
The Chevaher de Borda, commander of the French fri-
gate now lying in Santa Cruz road, was employed, in con-
juncftion with Mr. Varila, a Spanifli Gentleman, in making
aftronomical obfervations for afcertaining the going of two
time-keepers which they had on board their fhip. For this
purpofe, they had a tent pitched on the pier head, where
they made their obfervations, and compared their watches,
every day at noon, with the clock on fliore, by fignals.
Thefe fignals the Chevalier very obligingly communicated
to us ; fo that we could compare our watch at the fame
time. But our ftay was too fliort, to profit much by his
kindnefs.
The three days comparifons which we made, alTured us
that the watch had not materially, if at all, altered her rate
of going ; and gave us the fame longitude, within a very
few feconds, that was obtained by finding the time from
obfervations of the fun’s altitude from the horizon of the
fea. The watch, from a mean of thefe obfervations, on
the ift, 2d, and 3d of Auguft, made the longitude 16° 31^
* Formerly, there was made at Teneriffe a great quantity of Canary fack, which the
French call de Malvefte\ and we, corruptly after them, name Malmfey (from Mal-
vefia, a town in the Morea, famous for fuch lufcious wine). In the laft century, and
ftill later, much of this was imported into England j but little wine is now made there,
but of the fort defcribed by Captain Cook. Not more than fifty pipes of the rich Canary
were annually made in Glas’s time ; and he fays, they now gather the grapes when
green, and make a dry hard wine of them, fit for hot climates, p. 262.
D 2
Weft;
A VOYAGE TO
1776. Weft; and, in like manner, the latitude was found to be
Augdt.^^ North.
Mr. Varila informed us, that the true longitude was 18°
35' 30'", from Paris, which is only 16° 16' 30'' from Green-
wich ; lefs than what our watch gave by 14' 30'^ But, far
from looking upon this as an error in the watch, I rather
think it a confirmation of its having gone well ; and that
the longitude by it may be nearer the truth than any other.
It is farther confirmed by the lunar obfervations that we
made in the road, which gave 16° 37' Thofe made be-
fore we arrived, and reduced to the road by the watch,
gave 16° 33' 30'"; and thofe made after we left it, and redu-
ced back in the fame manner, gave 16° 28'. The mean of
the three is 16° 30' 40'^
To reduce thefe feveral longitudes, and the latitude, to
the Pic of TenerifFe, one of the moft noted points of land
with Geographers (to obtain the true fituation of which, I
have entered into this particular difcuflion), I had recourfe
to the bearing, and a few hours of the fhip’s run after leav-
ing Santa Cruz road; and found it to be 12' ii" South of
the road, and 29' 30^' of longitude Weft of it. As the
bafe, which helped to determine this, was partly eftimated,
it is liable to fome error ; but I think I cannot be much
miftaken. Dr. Mafkelyne, in his Britijh Mariner's Guide ^
places the Pic in the latitude of 28° 12" 54^^ This, with the
bearing from the road, will give the difference of longitude
43", which confiderably exceeds the diftance they reckon the
Pic to be from Santa Cruz. I made the latitude of the Pic
to be 28^" 18^ North. Upon that fuppolition, its longitude
will be as follows :
By
THE PACIFIC OCEAN,
21
fThe Time-keeper - o' 30"
By < Lunar obfervations - 16° 30' 20'
- 16° 46' o'
Weft.
(^Mr. Varila
But if the latitude of it is 28^ 12' 54", as in the Britijh Ma-
riner's Gutdey its longitude will be 13' 30" more wefterly.
The variation, when we were at anchor in the road, by
the mean of all our compafles, was found to be 14° 41' 20''
Weft. The dip of the North end of the needle was 61° 52'
30"-
Some of Mr. Anderfon’s remarks on the natural appear-
ances of Teneriffe, and its productions ; and what he ob-
ferved himfelf, or learnt by information, about the general
ftate of the ifland, will be of ufe, particularly in marking
what changes may have happened there fince Mr. Glas vi-
fited it. They here follow in his own words :
“ While we were ftanding in for the land, the weather
being perfectly clear, we had an opportunity of feeing the
celebrated Pic of Teneriffe. But, I own, I was much dif-
appointed in my expectation -with refpeCt to its appearance.
It is, certainly, far from equalling the noble figure of Pico,
one of the Weftern Hies which I have feen ; though its per-
pendicular height may be greater. This circumftance, per-
haps, arifes from its being furrounded by other very high
hiUs ; whereas Pico ftands without a rival.
Behind the city of Santa Cruz, the country rifes gradu-
ally, and is of a moderate height. Beyond this, to the
South Weftward, it becomes higher, and continues to rife
toward the Pic, which, from the road, appears but little
higher than the furrounding hills. From thence it feems to
decreafe, though not fuddenly, as far as the eye can reach.
From a fuppofition that we Ihould not ftay above one day,
I was obliged to contraCt my excurfions into the country ;
otherwife,
1776.
Auguft.
^ ■ *
A VOYAGE TO
1776. otheiwife, I had propofed to vilit the top of this famous
, , mountain
To the eaftward of Santa Cruz, the ifland appears per-
fectly barren. Ridges of hills run toward the fea ; between
which ridges are deep valleys, terminating at mountains or.
hills that run acrofs, and are higher than the former.
Thofe that run toward the fea, are marked by impreffions
on their lides, which make them appear as a fucceflion of
conic hills, with their tops very rugged. The higher ones
that run acrofs, are more uniform in their appearance.
In the forenoon of the ill of Auguft, after we had an-
chored in the road, I went on fliore to one of thefe valleys,
with an intention to reach the top of the remoter hills,
which feemed covered with wood ; but time would not
allow me to get farther than their foot. After walking
about three miles, I found no alteration in the appearance
of the lower hills ; which produce great quantities of the
euphorbia Canarienfis , It is furprifing that this large fuccu-
lent plant, fliould thrive on fo burnt-up a foil. When broken,
which is eafily done, the quantity of juice is very great ;
and it might be fuppofed that, when dried, it would flirivel
to nothing ; yet it is a pretty tough, though foft and light
wood. The people here believe its Juice to be fo cauftic as
* See an account of a journey to the top of the Pic of Teneriffe, in Sprat's Hijlory
of the B,oyal Society^ p. 200, &c. G!as alfo went to the top of it, Hijlory of the Canary
Ifands^p, 252 to 259. In the Philofophical Tranfadlions, vol. xlvii. p. 353 — 356, we
have Ohfervations made^ in going up the Pic of Tenerife^ by Dr. P. Heberden. The Do£lor
makes its height, above the level of the fea, to be 2566 fathoms, or 15,39^ Englifh feet^
and fays, that this was confirmed by two fubfequent obferyations by himfelf, and another
made by Mr. Crofie, the Conful. And yet, I find, that the Chevalier de Borda, who
meafured the height of this mountain in Auguft 1776, makes it to be only 1931 French
toifes, or 12,340 Englifh feet. See Dodlor Forfter’s Obfervations during a Voyage round
the World., p. 32.
to
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
23
to erode the iTcin ; but I convinced them, though with
much difficulty, to the contrary, by thrufting my finger
into the plant full of it, without afterward wiping it off.
They break down the buffies of euphorbia^ and fuffering
them to dry, carry them home for fuel. I met with nothing
elfe growing there, but two or three fmall llirubs, and a
few fig-trees near the bottom of the valley.
The bafis of the hills is a heavy, compa6l, blueifh ftone,
mixed with fome fhining particles ; and, on the furface,
large maffes of red friable earth, or ftone, are fcattered
about. I alfo often found the fame fubftance difpofed in
thick Jirata ; and the little earth, ftrewed here and there,
was a blackifh mould. There were likewife fome pieces of
flag ; one of which, from its weight and fmooth furface,
feemed almoft wholly metalline.
The mouldering ftate of thefe hills is, doubtlefs, owing
to the perpetual adlion of the fun, which calcines their fur-
face. This mouldered part being afterward wafhed away
by the heavy rains, perhaps is the caufe of their fides be-
ing fo uneven. FOr, as the different fubftances of which
they are compofed, are more or lefs eafily affecfted by the
fun’s heat, they will be carried away in the like propor-
tions. Hence, perhaps, the tops of the hills, being of the
hardeft rock, have flood, while the other parts on a decli-
vity have been deftroyed. As I have ufually obferved, that
the tops of moft mountains that are covered with trees
have a more uniform appearance, I am inclined to believe
that this is owing to their being fhaded.
The city of Santa Cruz, though not large, is tolerably
* Glap^ p. 231, fpeaking of this plant, fays, that he cannot imagine why the natives
^ the Canaries do not extract the juice^ and ufe it injiead of pitchy for the bottoms of their boats.
We now learn from Mr. Anderfon their reafon for not ufing it.
well
1776.
Auguft.
. — >
e
24
A VOYAGE TO
1776. well built. The churches are not magnificent without ; but
. . within are decent, and indifferently ornamented. They are
inferior to fome of the churches at Madeira ; but, I ima-
gine, this rather arifes from the different difpofition of the
people, than from their inability to fupport them better.
For the private houfes, and drefs of the Spanifh inhabitants
of Santa Cruz, are far preferable to thofe of the Portuguefe
at Madeira ; who, perhaps, are willing to flrip themfelves,
that they may adorn their churches.
Almofl facing the flone pier at the landing-place, is a
handfome marble column lately put up, ornamented with
fome human figures, that do no difcredit to the artift ; with
an infcription in Spanifh, to commemorate the occafion of
the erection ; and the date.
Friday 2. In the aftemoon of the 2d, four of us hired mules to ride
to the city of Laguna fo called from an adjoining lake,
about four miles from Santa Cruz. We arrived there be^
tween five and fix in the evening ; but found a fight of it
very unable to compenfate for our trouble, as the road was
very bad, and the mules but indifferent. The place is, in-
deed, pretty extenfive, but fcarcely deferves to be dignified
with the name of city. The difpofition of its ftreets is very
irregular ; yet fome of them are of a tolerable breadth, and
have fome good houfes. In general, however. Laguna is
inferior in appearance to Santa Cruz, though the latter is
but fmall, if compared with the former. We were inform-
ed, likewife, that Laguna is declining faff; there being,
at prefent, fome vineyards where houfes formerly flood ;
whereas Santa Cruz is increafing daily.
* Its extended nanie Is St. Chriftobal de la Laguna ; and it ufed to be reckoned
the capital of the ifland, the gentry and lawyers living there ; though the Governor Ge-
neral of the Canary Iflands refides at Santa Cruz, as being the centre of their trade,
both with Europe and America. See Glas's Hi/}, p. 248.
e
The
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
25
The road leading from Santa Cruz to Laguna runs up
a fteep hill, which is very barren ; but, lower down, we
faw fome fig-trees, and feveral corn fields. Thefe are but
fmall, and not thrown into ridges, as is pracStifed in Eng-
land. Nor does it appear that they can raife any corn here
without great labour, as the' ground is fo encumbered with
hones, that they are obliged to colledf and lay them in
broad rows, or walls, at fmall diftances. The large hills
that run to the South Weft, appeared to be pretty well fur-
niflied with trees! Nothing elfe worth noticing prefented
itfelf during this excurfion, except a few aloe plants in
flower, near the fide of the road ; and the cheerfulnefs of
our guides, who amufed us with fongs by the way.
Moft of the laborious work in this illand is performed
by mules ; horfes being to appearance fcarce, and chiefly
referved for the ufe of the officers. They are of a fmall
lize, but weU fhaped and fpirited. Oxen are alfo employed
to drag their cafks along upon a large clumfy piece of wood ;
and they are yoked by the head, though it doth not feem
that this has any peculiar advantage over our method of
fixing the harnefs on the flioulders.' In my walks and ex-
curfions I faw fome hawks, parrots, which are natives of
the illand, the fea fwallow or tern, fea gulls, partridges,
wagtails, fwallows, martins, blackbirds, and Canary-birds
in large flocks. There are alfo lizards of the common, and
another fort ; fome infedfs, as locufts ; and three or four
forts of dragon flies.
I had an opportunity of converling with a fenfible and
well-informed gentleman refiding here, and whofe veracity
I have not the leaft reafon to doubt. From him I learnt
fome particulars, which, during the fliort flay of three
days, did not fall within my own obfervation. He in-
VoL. I. E ' formed
1776.
Auguft.
26
A VOYAGE TO
1776* formed me, that a Ihrub is common here, agreeing exadlly
. with the defcription given by Tournefort and Linnaeus, of
the tea fhrub^ as growing in China and Japan. It is rec-
koned a weed, and he roots out thoufands of them every
year from his vineyards. The Spaniards however, of the
ifland, fometimes ufe it as tea, and afcribe to it all the qua-
lities of that imported from China. They alfo give it the
name of tea ; but what is remarkable, they iky it was
found here when the iflands were firll difcovered.
Another botanical curiolity, mentioned by him, is what
they call the impregnated lemon It is a perfect and dif-
tindt lemon, inclofed within another, differing from the
outer one only in being a little more globular. The leaves
of the tree that produces this fort, are much longer than
thofe of the common one ; and it was reprefented to me as
being crooked, and not equal in beauty.
From him I learnt alfo, that a certain fort of grape
growing here, is reckoned an excellent remedy in phthili-
cal complaints : and the air and chmate, in general, are
remarkably healthful, and particularly adapted to give re-
lief in fuch difeafes. This he endeavoured to account for,
by its being always in one’s power to procure a different
temperature of the air, by reliding at different heights in
the ifland ; and he expreffed his furprize that the Englifh
phyficians fhould never have thought of fending their con-
fumptive patients to Teneriffe, inflead of Nice or Lifbon.
How much the temperature of the air varies here, I myfelf
' could fenfibly perceive, only in riding from Santa Cruz up
to Laguna ; and you may afcend till the cold becomes in-
* The Writer of the Relation of Teneriffe^ in Sprat’s Hijlory^ p. 207, takes notice
of this lemon as produced here, and calls it Pregnada, Probably, emprennaday the Spa-
nilh word for impregnated^ is the name it goes by.
tolerable.
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
tolerable. I was affured that no perfon can live comfort-
ably within a mile of the perpendicular height of the Pic,
after the month of Auguft
Although fome fmoke conftantly iffues from near the top
of the Pic, they have had no earthquake or eruption of a vol-
cano lince 1704, when the port of Garrachica, where much
of their trade was formerly carried on, was deftroyed t*
Their trade, indeed, muft be confidered as very confider-
able ; for they reckon that forty thoufand pipes of wine are
annually made, the greateft part of which is either con-
fumed in the ifland, or made into brandy, and fent to the
Spanifh Weft Indies About fix thoufand pipes were ex-
ported every year to North America, while the trade with
it was uninterrupted ; at prefent, they think not above
half the quantity. The corn they raife is, in general, in-
fufficient to maintain the inhabitants ; but the deficiency
* This agrees with Dr. T. Heberden’s account, who fays that the fugar-loaf part of
the mountain, or la pericofa (as it is called), which is an eighth part of a league (or 1980
feet) to the top^ is covered with /now the greateji part of the year. See Philofophical Tranfac-
tionsy as quoted above.
t This port was then filled up by the rivers of burning lava that flowed into it from
a volcano ; infomuch that houfes are now built where (hips formerly lay at anchor. See
Glas's Hijl. p. 244.
X Glasy p. 342, fays, that they annually export no lefs than fifteen thoufand pipes
of wine and brandy. In another place, p. 252, he tells us, that the number of the
inhabitants of TenerifFe, when the laft account was taken, was no lefs than 96,000.
VVe may reafonably fuppofe that there has been a confiderable increafe of population
fince Glas vifited the ifland, which is above thirty years ago. 7'he quantity of wine
annually confumed, as the common beverage of at leaft one hundred thoufand perfons,
muft amount to feveral thoufand pipes. There muft be a vaft expenditure of it, by
oonverfion into brandy ; to produce one pipe of which, five or fix pipes of wine muft be
diftilled. An attention to thefe particulars will enable every one to judge, that the ac-
count given to Mr. Anderfon, of an annual produce of 40,000 pipes of wine, has a
foundation in truth.
E 2
ufed
28
A VOYAGE TO
1776. •ufed to be fupplied by importation from the North Amerl-
, cans, who took their wines in return.
— y— i ^
They make a little lilk ; but unlefs we reckon the filter-
ing-ftones, brought in great numbers from Grand Canary,
the wine is the only confiderable article of the foreign
commerce of Teneriffe.
None of the race of inhabitants found here when the
Spaniards difcovered the Canaries, now remain a dillindf
people -'i', having intermarried with the Spanifh fettlers ;
but their defcendants are known, from their being remark-
ably tall, large-boned, and llrong. The men are, in gene-
ral, of a tawny colour, and the women have a pale com-
plexion, entirely deftitute of that bloom which diftin-
guiflies our Northern beauties. The Spanilli cuftom of
wearing black clothes continues amongft them ; but the
men feem more indifferent about this, and in fome mea-
fure drefs like the French. In other refpedfs, we found
the inhabitants of Teneriffe to be a decent and very civil
people, retaining that grave cafl which diftinguifhes thofe
of their country from other European nations. Although
we do not think that there is a great fimilarity between our
manners and thofe of the Spaniards, it is worth obferving,
that Omai did not think there was much difference. He
only faid, “ that they feemed not fo friendly as the Eng-
lifli ; and that, in their perfons, they approached thofe of
his countrymen.”
* It was otherwife in Glas’s time, when a few families of the Guanches (as they are
called) remained ftill in Teneriffe, not blended with the Spaniards. Glas^ p. 240.
CHAP.
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
29
CHAP. III.
Departure from I’eneriffe. — Danger of the Ship near Bona--
vijia, — IJle of Mayo. — Port Praya. — Precautions againji
the Rain and fultry Weather in the Neighbourhood of the
Equator. — Pojition of the Coaji of Brazil. — Arrival at the
Cape of Good Hope. — T’ranfadiions there. — Jundiion of the
Difcovery. — Mr. Anderfon's Journey up the Country. — Af-
tronomical Obfervations. — Nautical Remarks on the Paf-
fage from England to the Cape^ with regard to the Cur-
rents and the Variation.
Having completed our water, and got on board every 1776.
other thing we wanted at TenerifFe, we weighed an- ,
chor on the 4th of Augulf, and proceeded on our voyage, Sunday 4.
with a fine gale at North Eaft.
At nine o’clock in the evening on the loth we faw the Saturday 10.
ifland of Bonavifta bearing South, difiant little more than
a league ; though, at this time, we thought ourfelves much
farther off : but this proved a miftake. For, after hauling
to the Eafiiward till twelve o’clock, to clear the funken rocks
that lie about a league from the South Eafl point of the
illand, we found ourfelves, at that time, clofe upon them,
and did but juft weather the breakers. Our fituation, for a
few minutes, was very alarming. I did not choofe to found,
* As a proof of Captain Cook’s attention, both to the difcipline and to the health of
his {hip’s company, it may be worth while to obferve here, that it appears from his log-
book, he exercifed them at great gum and fmall armsy and cleaned and fmoked the Jhip betwixt
decksj twice in the interval between the 4th and the loth of Augulf,
as
Sunday 1 1.
Monday 12.
A VOYAGE TO
as that might have heightened the danger, without any
pofhbility of leffening it. I make the North end of the
illand of Bonavifla to lie in the latitude of 16*^ 17'' North,
and in the longitude of 22° 59' Weft.
As foon as we were clear of the rocks, we fteered South
South Weft, till day-break next morning, and then hauled
to the Weftward, to go between Bonavifta and the ifle of
Mayo, intending to look into Port Praya for the Difcovery,
as I had told Captain Clerke that I fhould touch there, and
did not know how foon he might fail after me. At one in
the afternoon, we faw the rocks that lie on the South Weft
fide of Bonavifta, bearing South Eaft, diftant three or four
leagues.
Next morning, at fix o’clock, the ifle of Mayo bore South
South Eaft, diftant about five leagues. In this fituation we
founded, and found ground at fixty fathoms. At the fame
time the variation, by the mean of feveral azimuths taken
with three different compaffes, was 9° 32!'' Weft. At eleven
o’clock, one extreme of Mayo bore Eaft by North, and
the other South Eaft by South. In this pofition, two
roundifli hills appeared near its North Eaft part ; farther
on, a large and higher hill ; and, at about two-thirds of
its length, a fingle one that is peaked. At the diftance we
now faw this illand, which was three or four miles, there
Avas not the leaft appearance of vegetation, nor any re-
lief to the eye from that lifelefs brown which prevails in
countries under the Torrid Zone that are unwooded.
Here I cannot help remarking that Mr. Nichelfon, in his
Preface to Sundry Remarks and Obfervations made in a Voy-^
age to the Eaji Indies tells us, that with eight degrees
* On board his Majefty’s fhip Elizabeth, from 1758 to 17645 by William Nichel-
fon, Mafter of the faid fliip. London, 1773.
» Weft
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
Weft variation, or any thing above that, you may ven- 1776.
“ ture to fail by the Cape de Verde Iflands night or day, ^ ^
“ being well allured, with that variation, that you are to
“ the Eaftward of them.” Such an affertion might prove
of dangerous confequence, were there any that would im-
phcitly truft to it. We alfo tried the current, and found
one fetting South Weft by Weft, fomething more than half
a mile an hour. We had reafon to expe6l this, from the
differences between the longitude given by the watch and
dead reckoning, which, lince our leaving Teneriffe, amount-
ed to one degree.
While we were amongft thefe iflands, we had light
breezes of wind, varying from the South Eaft to Eaft, and
fome calms. This fhews that the Cape de Verde Illands are
either extenlive enough to break the current of the trade
wind, or that they are fituated juft beyond its verge, in that
fpace where the variable winds, found on getting near the
line, begin. The firft fuppolition, however, is the moft
probable, as Dampier 'i*' found the wind wefterly here in the
month of February ; at which time the trade wind is fup-
pofed to extend fartheft toward the equinodfial. The wea-
ther was hot and fultry, with fome rain ; and, for the moft
part, a dull whitenefs prevailed in the fky, that feems a
medium between fog and clouds. In general, the tropical
regions feldom enjoy that clear atmofphere obfervable
where variable winds blow ; nor does the fun fliine with
fuch brightnefs. This cuxumftance, however, feems an
advantage ; for otherwife, perhaps, the rays of the fun,
being uninterrupted, would render the heat quite unfup-
portable. 7'he nights are, neverthelefs, often clear and
ferene.
* Dampier’s Voyages, Vol. iii. p. lo.
At
.7-
17 7(9.
AugulL
v 1
'J'uefday 13.
Wednef. 14.
Friday 30.
A O Y A G E TO
At nine o’clock in the morning of the 13th, w e arrived
before Port Praya, in the illand of St. Jago, Avhere we faw
two Dutch Eaft India fhips, and a fmall brigantine at an-
chor. As the Difcovery was not there, and we had ex-
pended but little water in our paflage from Teneriffe, I did
not think proper to go in, hut flood to the Southward,
Some altitudes of the Sun were now taken, to afcertain the
true time. The longitude by the watch, deduced there-
from, was 23° 48' Weft ; the little ifland in the bay bore
Weft North Weft, diftant near three miles, which will make
its longitude 23° 51'. The fame watch, on my late voyage,
made the' longitude to be 23° 30' W eft ; and we obferved
the latitude to be 14° 53' 30^" North.
The day after we left the Cape de Verde Illands, we loft
the North Eaft trade wind ; but did not get that which
blows from the South Eaft till the 30th, when we were in
the latitude of 2° North, and in the twenty-fifth degree of
Weft longitude.
During this interval the wind was moftly in the South
Weft quarter. Sometimes it blew frefli, and in fqualls ; but
for the moll part a gentle breeze. The calms were few,
and of fliort duration. Between the latitude of 12° and of
7° North, the weather was generally dark and gloomy,
with frequent rains, which enabled us to fave as much wa-
ter as filled moft of our empty calks.
Thefe rains, and the clofe fultry Aveather accompanying
* On the 1 8th, I funk a bucket with a thermometer feventy fathoms below the fur-
face of the fea, where it remained two minutes ; and it took three minutes more to haul
it up. The mercury in the thermometer was at 66, which before, in the air, flood at
78, and in the furface of the fea at 79. The water which came up in the bucket con-
tained, by Mr. Cavendifh’s table, 7 part fait ; and that at the furface of the fea 4'
As this laft was taken up after a fmart fhower of rain, it might be lighter on that ac-
count. Captain Cook's log-book,
them,
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
33
them, too often bring on ficknefs in this paffage. Every 1776-
bad confequence, at leaft, is to be apprehended from them ; .
and commanders of lliips cannot be too much upon their
guard, by purifying the air between decks with fires and
fmoke, and by obliging the people to dry their clothes at
every opportunity. Thefe precautions were conftantly ob-
ferved on board the Refolution and Difcovery ; and we
certainly profited by them, for we had now fewer fick than
on either of my former voyages. We had, however, the
mortification to find our fliip exceedingly leaky in all her
upper works. The hot and fultry weather we had juft
pafted through, had opened her feams, which had been
badly caulked at firft, fo wide, that they admitted the rain
w'ater through as it fell. There was hardly a man that
could lie dry in his bed ; and the officers in the gun-room
were all driven out of their cabins, by the water that came
through the fides. The fails in the fail-room got wet ; and
before we had weather to dry them, many of them were
much damaged, and a great expence of canvas and of time
became neceffary to make them in fome degree ferviceable.
Having experienced the fame defedt in our fail-rooms on
my late voyage, it had been reprefented to the yard officers,
who undertook to remove it. But it did not appear to me
that any thing had been done to remedy the complaint.
To repair thefe defedls the caulkers were fet to work, as
foon as we got into fair fettled weather, to caulk the decks
and infide weather-works of the fliip ; for I would not truft
them over the fides while we were at fea.
* The particulars are mentioned in his log-book. On the 14th of Auguft, a fire
was made in the well, to air the fliip below. On the 15th, the fpare fails were aired
upon deck, and a fire made to air the fail-room. O.n the 17th, cleaned and fmoked
betwixt decks, and the bread-room aired with fires. On the 21ft, cleaned and fmoked
betwixt decks ; and on the 22d, the men’s bedding was fpread on deck to air.
VoL. I. F
On
34
A VOYAGE TO
1776.
September.
' '
Sunday i.
Sunday 8.
O
, On the firfl: of September we crofled the Equator, in the
longitude of 27° 38'' Weft, with a fine gale at South Eaft by
South ; and notwithftanding my apprehenfions of falling in
with the coaft of Brafil in ftretching to the South Weft, I
kept the fliip a full point from the wind. However, I found
my fears were ill-grounded ; for on drawing near that coaft,
we met with the wind more and more eafterly ; fo that, by
the time we were in the latitude of 10° South, we could
make a South Eafterly courfe good.
On the 8th, we were in the latitude of 8° 57' South ; which
is a little to the Southward of Cape St. Auguftine, on the
coaft of Brafil. Our longitude, deduced from a very great
number of lunar obfervations, was 34° 16' Weft; and by the
watch, 34° 47^ The former is 1° 43^, and the latter 2° 14'
more Wefterly than the ifland of Fernando de Noronha, the
fituation of which was pretty well determined during my
late voyage t. Hence I concluded that we could not now
■* The afternoon, as appears from Mr. Anderfon’s Journal, was fpent in performing
the old and ridiculous ceremony of ducking thofe who had not crofled the Equator before.
Though Captain Cook did not fupprefs the cuftom, he thought it too trifling to deferve
the leaft mention of it in his Journal, or even in his log-book. Pernetty, tlie Writer of
Bougainville’s Voyage to the Falkland Iflands, in 1763 and 1764, thought difFerently ;
for his account of the celebration of this childifh feftival on board his fhip, is extended
through feventeen pages, and makes the fubjedl of an entire chapter, under the title of
Bapteme de la Ligne.
It may be worth while to tranfcribe his introdudlion to the defcription of it. “ C’eft
“ un ufage qui ne remonte pas plus haut que ce voyage celebre de Gama, qui a fourni au
“ Camoens le fujet de la Lufiade. L’ldee qu’on ne f^auroit etre un bon marin, fans avoir
“ traverfe I’Equateur, I’ennui infeparable d’une longue navigation, un certain efprit repub-
“ licain qui regne dans toutes les petites focietes, peut-etre toutes ces caufes reunies, ont
“ pu donner naiffance a ces efpeces de faturnales. Quoiqu’il en foit, elles furent adoptees,
“ en un inftant, dans toutes les nations, et les hommes les plus eclaires furent obliges de fe
“ foumettre a une coutume dont ils reconnoiflbient I’abfurdite. Car, partout, des que le
“ peuple parle, il faut que le fage fe mette a I’unifon.” Hijioire d'un Voyage aux IJles Ma~
louines^ p. 107, 108.
I See Cook’s Voyage, Vol. II. p. 278,
be
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
35
be farther from the continent than twenty or thirty leagues
at moil ; and perhaps not much lefs, as we neither had
foundings nor any other hgns of land. Dr. Halley, how-
ever, in his voyage, publilhed by Mr. Dalrymple, tells us "'■•S
that he made no more than one hundred and two miles^ meri-
dian dijianceyjrom the ijland [Fernando de Noronha] to the
coajl of Brafl ; and feems to think that currents could not
be the whole caufe of his making fo little. But I rather think
that he was miftaken, and that the currents had hurried
him far to the Weftward of his intended courfe. This was,
in fome meafure, confirmed by our own obfervations ; for
we had found, during three or four days preceding the 8th,
that the currents fet to the Weftward ; and, during the laft
twenty- four hours, it had fet ftrong to the Northward, as
we experienced a difference of twenty-nine miles between
our obferved latitude and that by dead reckoning. Upon
the whole, till fome better aftronomical obfervations are
made on fhore on the Eaftern coaft of Brafil, I fhall con-
clude that its longitude is thirty-five degrees and a half, or
thirty-lix degrees Weft, at moft.
We proceeded on our voyage, without meeting with any
thing of note, till the 6th of Odtober. Being then in the
latitude of if South, longitude 7° 45' Weft, we met with
light airs and calms by turns, for three days fucceflively.
We had, for fome days before, feen albatroffes, pintadoes,
and other petrels ; and here we faw three penguins, which
occafioned us to found ; but we found no ground with a line
of one hundred and fifty fathoms. We put a boat in the
water, and fliot a few birds ; one of which was a black pe-
trel, about the fize of a crow, and, except as to the bill and
feet, very like one. It had a few white feathers under the
* P. n.
1776.
September.
' »
Oflober.
Sunday 6.
throat ;
3^
A VOYAGE TO
1776.
Odlober.
Tuefday 8.
throat ; and the nnder-fide of the quill-feathers were of an
afh-colour. All the other feathers were jet black, as alfo-the
bill and legs.
On the 8th, in the evening, one of thofe birds which
failors call noddies, fettled on our rigging, and was caught.
It was fomething larger than an Englilli black-bird, and
nearly as black, except the upper part of the head, which
was white, looking as if it were powdered ; the whitell fea-
thers growing out from the bafe of the upper bill, from
which they gradually affumed a darker colour, to about the
middle of the upper part of the neck, where the white fliade
was loft in the black, without being divided by any line.
It was web-footed ; had black legs and a black bill, which
was long, and not unlike that of a curlew. It is faid thefe
birds never fly far from land. We knew of none nearer the
ftation we were in, than Gough’s or Richmond Illand, from
which our diftance could not be lefs than one hundred
leagues. But it muft be obferved that the Atlantic Ocean,
to the Southward of this latitude, has been but little fre-
quented ; fo that there may be more iflands there than we
are acquainted with.
We frequently, in the night, faw thofe luminous ma-
rine animals mentioned and defcribed in my firft voyage
Some of them feemed to be conliderably larger than any I
had before met with ; and fometimes they were fo mime-
rous, that hundreds were vilible at the fame moment.
This calm weather was fucceeded by a frelh gale from
the North Weft, which lafted two days. Then we had
again variable light airs for about twenty-four hours ; when
the North Weft wind returned, and blew with fuch ftrength,
f See Hawkefworth’s CoDedion of Voyages, Vol. II. p. 15.
that
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
that on the 17th we had light of the Cape of Good Hope ;
and the next day anchored in Table Bay, in four fathoms
water, with the church bearing South Weft i South, and
Green Point North Weft I Weft.
As foon as we had received the ufual viftt from the Mafter
Attendant and the Surgeon, I fent an officer to wait on Ba-
ron Plettenherg, the Governor ; and, on his return, fainted
the garrifon with thirteen guns, which compliment was re-
turned with the fame number.
We found in the bay two French Eaft India Ships ; the
one outward, and the other homeward bound. And two or
three days before our arrival, another homeward bound
fhip of the fame nation had parted from her cable, and been
driven on fliore at the head of the bay, where flie was loft.
The crew were faved ; but the greateft part of the cargo
fliared the fame fate with the fhip, or (which amounted to
the fame) was plundered and ftolen by the inhabitants, ei-
ther out of the fhip, or as it was driven or carried on fhore.
This is the account the French officers gave to me ; and the
Dutch themfelves could not deny the fa6t. But, by way of
excufing themfelves from being guilty of a crime difgrace-
ful to every civilized ftate, they endeavoured to lay the
whole blame on the French Captain, for not applying in
time for a guard.
As foon as we had faluted, I went on fhore, accompanied
by fome of my officers, and waited on the Governor, the
Lieutenant Governor, the Fifcal, and the Commander of the
troops. Thefe gentlemen received me with the greateft ci-
vility ; and the Governor, in particular, promifed me every
affiftance that the place afforded. At the fame time I ob-
tained his leave to let up our obfervatory on any fpot I
fliould think moft convenient ; to pitch tents for the fail-
makers
37
1776.
Odiober.
L 1
Thurfday ij,
Friday i8.
A VOYAGE TO
Tuefday 22.
Wednef. 23.
Saturday 26.
Sunday 27.
Thurfday 31.
makers and coopers ; and to bring the cattle on fliore, to
graze near our encampment. Before I returned on board,
I ordered foft bread, frelh meat, and greens, to be provided,
every day, for the Blip’s company.
On the 22d, we fet up the tents and obfervatory, and be-
gan to fend the feveral articles out of the Blip which I
wanted on Biore. This could not be done fooner, as the
militia of the place were exerciBng on, or near, the ground
which we were to occupy.
The next day, we began to obferve equal altitudes of the
Sun, in order to afcertain the rate of the watch, or, which
is the fame thing, to find whether it had altered its rate.
Thefe obfervations were continued every day, whenever the
weather would permit, tiU the time of our departure drew
near. But before this, the caulkers had been fet to work to
caulk the Blip ; and I had concerted meafures with Mefifs.
Brandt and Chiron, for fupplying both Blips with fuch
provifions as I Biould want. Bakers, likewife, had been or-
dered, immediately after our arrival, to bake fuch a quantity
of bread as I thought would be requifite. As fafi; as the fe-
veral articles deftined for the Refolution were got ready,
they were carried on board.
On the 26th, the French Blip failed for Europe, and by
her we fent letters to England. The next day, the Hamp-
Biire Eaft India Blip, from Bencoolen, anchored in the bay,
and faluted us with thirteen guns, which we returned with
eleven.
Nothing remarkable happened till the evening of the
31 ft, when it came on to blow exceflively hard at South Eaft,
and continued for three days ; during which time there
was no communication between the Blip and the Biore.
The Refolution was the only Blip in the bay that rode out
the
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
39
1776.
November.
the gale without dragging her anchors. We felt its effecfls
as fenlibly on fliore. Our tents and obfervatory were torn
to pieces ; and our aftronomical quadrant narrowly efcaped
irreparable damage. On the 3d of November the ftorm Sunday 3.
ceafed, and the next day we refumed our different employ-
ments.
On the 6th, the Hampfliire India fliip failed for England. Wednef. 6,
In her I fent home an invalid, whom Captain Trimble was
fo obliging as to receive on board. I was afterward forry
that I had not availed myfelf of this opportunity to part
with two or three more of my crew, who were troubled
with different complaints ; but, at this time, there was fome
hope of their health being re-eftablifhed. ‘
In the morning of the loth, the Difcovery arrived in the Sunday lo.
bay. Captain Clerke informed me that he had failed from
Plymouth on the iff of Auguft, and fhould have been with
us here a week fooner, if the late gale of wind had not
blo\vn him off the coaft. Upon the whole, he was feven
days longer in his paffage from England than we had been.
He had the misfortune to lofe one of his marines, by
falling over-board ; but there had been no other mor-
tality amongft his people, and they now arrived well and
healthy.
Captain Clerke having reprefented to me that his fliip was
in want of caulking ; that no time might be loft in repair-
ing this defedl, next day I fent all my workmen on board Monday n.
her, having already completed this fervice on board the Rer
folution. I lent every other afliftance to the Captain to ex-
pedite his fupply of provifions and water, having given him
an order to receive on board as much of both articles as he
could conveniently flow. I now found that the bakers had
failed in baking the bread I had ordered for the Difcovery.
They
40
A VOYAGE
T O
■ r’
1776. They pretended a want of flour ; but the truth was, they
Xo^ei^ei^ doubtful of her coming, and did not care to begin
till they faw her at anchor in the bay.
I have before made mention of our getting our cattle on
flaore. The bull and two cows, with their calves, were fent
to graze along with fome other cattle ; but I was advifed to
keep our flieep, flxteen in number, clofe to our tents, where
they were penned up every night. During the night pre-
Thurfdayi4. ceding the 14th, fome dogs having got in amongft them,
forced them out of the pen, killing four, and difperfing the
reft. Six of them were recovered the next day ; but the two
rams, and two of the fineft ewes in the whole flock, were
amongft thofe miffing. Baron Plettenberg being now in the
country, I apphed to the Lieutenant Governor, Mr. Hemmy,
and to the Fifcal. Both thefe Gentlemen promifed to ufe
^ their endeavoiirs for the recovery of the loft ffieep. The
Dutch, we know, boaft that the police at the Cape is fo
carefully executed, that it is hardly poffible for a flave, with
all his cunning and knowledge of the country, to effe6tuate
his efcape. Yet my flieep evaded all the vigilance of the
Fifcal’s officers and people. However, after much trouble
and expence, by employing fome of the meaneft and loweft
fcoundrels in the place (who, to ufe the phrafe of the per-
fon who recommended this method to me, would, for a
ducatoon, cut their mafter’s throat, burn the houfe over his
head, and bury him and the whole family in the allies), I
recovered them all but the two ewes. Of thefe I never
could hear the leaft tidings ; and I gave over all inquiry af-
ter them, when I was told that, fince I had got the two
rams, I might think myfelf very well off. One of thefe,
however, was fo much hurt by the dogs, that there was
reafon to believe he would never recover.
Mr,
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
Mr. Hemmy very obligingly offered to make up this lofs,
by giving me a Spanifli ram, out of fome that he had fent
for from Lifbon. But I declined the offer, under a perfua-
lion that it would anfwer my purpofe full as well, to take
with me fome of the Cape rams : the event proved, that I
was under a miifake. This Gentleman has taken fome
pains to introduce European flieep at the Cape ; but his en-
deavours, as he told me, have been fruftrated by the obfti-
nacy of the country people, who hold their own breed in
greater eftimation, on account of their large tails, of the fat
of which they fometimes make more money tlian of the
whole carcafs befides - ; and think that the wool of Euro-
pean flieep will, by no means, made up for their deficiency
in this refpecSt. Indeed, I have heard fome fenfible men
here make the fame obfervation. And there feems to be
foundation for it. For, admitting that European flieep were
to produce wool of the fame quality here as in Europe,
which experience has fhewn not to be the cafe, the Dutch
have not hands, at the Cape of Good Hope, to fpare for the
manufacSturiiig even their own clothing. It is certain that,
were it not for the continual importation of flaves, this fet-
tlement would be thinner of people than any other inha-
bited part of the world.
While the fliips were getting ready for the profecution
of our voy age, fome of our officers made an excurlion to
* “ The mofl: remarkable thing in the Cape flieep, is the length and thicknefs of their
tails, which weigh from fifteen to twenty pounds. The fat is not fo tallowifli as that
of European mutton, and the poorer fort ufe it for butter.” Kolben's Cape of Good
Hope [Englifli tranflation], Vol. II. p. 65. De la Caille, who finds every thing
wrong in Kolben, fays, the weight of the tails of the Cape flieep is not above five or fix
pounds. Voyage de la Caille^ p. 343. If the information given to Captain Cook may
be depended upon, it will prove that, in this inftance at leaft, Kolben is unjuftly accufed
of exaggeration.
VoL. I.
41
1776.
November.
V »
G
take
A VOYAGE TO
42,
1776. take a view of the neighbouring country. Mr. Anderfon,
my Surgeon, who was one of the party, gave me the fol-
lowing relation of their proceedings :
Saturday 16. “ On the i6th, ill the forenoon, I fet out in a waggon,,
with five more, to take a view of fome part of the country.
We crofled the large plain that lies to the Eaftward of the
town, which is entirely a white fand, like that commonly
found on beaches, and produces only heath, and other fmall
plants of various forts. At five in the afternoon we paflTed
a large farm-houfe, with fome corn-fields, and pretty con-
fiderable vineyards, fituated beyond the plain, near the foot
of fome low hills, where the foil becomes worth cultivating.
Between fix and feven we arrived at Stellenbofh, the colony
next to that of the Cape for its importance.
The village does not confifi: of more than thirty houfes,
and fiands at the foot of the range of lofty mountains^
above twenty miles to the Eaftward of the Cape Town.
The houfes are neat ; and, with the advantage of a rivulet
which runs near, and the fhelter of fome large oaks, planted
at its firft fettling, forms what may be called a rural pro-
lpe6l in this defert country. There are fome vineyards and
orchards about the place, which, from their thriving ap-
pearance, feem to indicate an excellent foil ; though, per-
haps, they owe much to climate, as the air here has an un-
common ferenity.
* In the Philofophicai Tranfadlions, Vol. Ixvi. p. 268 to 319, is Account of Three
fourmes from the Cape Town into the Southern Parts of Africa^ in 177^5 ^773’ *774 »
by Mr. Francis Maflbn, who had been fent from England for the difcovery of new plants,
towards the improvetnent of the Royal Botanical Garden at Kew. Much curious
information is contained in Mr. Maflbn’s account of thefe journies. M. de Pages, who
was at the Cape in 1773, gives fome remarks on the ftate of that fettlement, and alfo tho
particulars of his journey from Falfe Bay to tlie Cape Town. Voyage vers le Pole
du Sud, p. 17 to 32. I
I employed
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
43
I employed the next day in fearching for plants and in- 1776.
fe6ls about Stellenbolli, but bad little fuccefs. Few plants ^ Noveniber.
are in flower here at this feafon, and infecfls but fcarce. I Sunday 17.
examined the foil in feveral places, and found it to confill;
of yellowilb clay, mixed with a good deal of fand. The
fides of the low hills, which appear brown, feem to be con-
flituted of a fort of Hone marie.
We left Stellenbofli next morning, and foon arrived at Monday is.
the houfe we had pafled on Saturday ; the owner of which,
Mr. Cloeder, had fent us an invitation, the evening before,
to viflt him. This Gentleman entertained us with the
greateft hofpitality, and in a manner very different from
what we expelled. He received us with muffc ; and a band
alfo played while we were at dinner; which, conffdering
the fltuation of the place, might be reckoned elegant. He
fhewed us his wine-cellars, his orchards, and vineyards ; all
which, I muff own, infpired me with a wifli to know in
what manner thefe induftrious people could create fuch
plenty, in a fpot where, I believe, no other European nation
would have attempted to fettle.
In the afternoon we croflTed the country, and pafled a few
plantations, one of which feemed very conflderable, and was
laid out in a tafte fomewhat different from any other we
faw. In the evening we arrived at a farm-houfe, which is
the fir ft: in the cultivated tracft called the Pearl. We had, at
the fame time, a view of Drakenftein, the third colony of
this country, which lies along by the foot of the lofty hills
already mentioned, and contains feveral farms or planta-
tions, not very extenfive.
I went, on the 19th in the forenoon, in queft of plants Tuefday 19.
and infecfts, which I found almoft as fcarce as at Stellen-
bofli ; but I met with more flirubs or fmall trees, naturally
G 2 produced,
44
A VOYAGE TO
1776.
November,
produced, in the valleys, than in any part of the country I
had hitherto feen.
In the afternoon, we went to fee a ftone of a remarkable
lize, called by the inhabitants the Tower of Babylon, or
the Pearl Diamond ''b It lies, or Hands, upon the top of
fome low hiUs, at the foot of which our farm-houfe was
lituated ; and though the road to it is neither very fteep nor
rugged, we were above an hour and a half in walking to it.
It is of an oblong fliape, rounded on the top, and lies nearly
South and North. The Eaft and Weft ftdes are fteep, and
almoft perpendicular. The South end is likewife fteep, and
its greateft height is there; from whence it declines gently
to the North part, by which we afcended to its top, and
had an extenftve view of the whole country.
Its circumference, I think, muft be at leaft half a mile ;
as it took us above half an hour to walk round it, includ-
ing every allowance for the bad road, and ftopping a little.
At its higheft part, which is the South end, comparing it
with a known objecft, it feems to equal the dome of St. Paul’s
* In the Philofophical Tranfa£Iions, Vol. Ixviii. Part I. p. 102. we have a Letter
from Mr. Anderfon to Sir John Pringle, defcribing this remarkable ftone. The account
fent home from the Cape, and read before the Royal Society, is much the fame with that
now publiftied, but rather fuller. In particular, he tells Sir John, that he went to fee it
at Mr. Majfon's defire.^ who, probably, had not had an opportunity of fufficiently examin-
ing it himfelf. In the account of his journies, above referred to, p. 270, he only fays,
“ there are two large foUd rocks on the Per el Berg-, each of which (he believes) is more than a
mile in circumference at the hafe., and upwards of two hundred feet high. Their furfaces are
nearly fmooth^ without chink or fjfures j and they are found to be a fpecies of granite., different
from that which compofes the neighbouring mountains.”
Mr. Anderfon having, with his Letter to Sir John Pringle, alfo lent home a fpecimen
of the rock, it was examined by Sir William Hamilton, whofe opinion is, that “ this fin-
gular, imrnenfe fragment of granite, moji probably has been raifed by a volcanic explofon, or fome
fuch caufe.” See his Letter to Sir John Pringle, annexed to Mr. Anderfon’s, in the Phf-
lofophical Tranfa6lions.
church.
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
church. It is one uninterrupted mafs or ftone, if we except
fome filTures, or rather impreflions, not above three or four
feet deep, and a vein which runs acrofs near its North end.
It is of that fort of ftone called, by Mineralogifts, Saxum con-
glutinatum, and confilfs chiefly of pieces of coarfe quartz
and glimmer, held together by a clayey cement. But the
vein which crofles it, though of the fame materials, is much
compaefler. This vein is not above a foot broad or thick ;
and its furface is cut into little fquares or oblongs, difpofed
obliquely, which makes it look hke the remains of fome
artificial work. But I could not obferve whether it pene-
trated far into the large rock, or was only fuperficial. In
defeending, w'e found at its foot a very rich black mould ;
and on the fides of the hills, fome trees of a confiderable
fize, natives of the place, which are a fpecies of olea^^.
In the morning on the 20th, we fet out from the Pearl’,
and going a different road from that by which we came,
pafled through a country wholly uncultivated, till we got
to the Tyger hills, when fome tolerable corn-fields appeared.
At noon, we flopped in a hollow for refrefliment ; but, in
walking about here, were plagued with a vafl number of
* It is ftrange that neither Kolben nor de la Caille fhould have thought the Tower af
Babylon worthy of a particular defeription. The former [Vol. II. p. 52, 53, Englifli
Tranflation] only mentions it as a high mountain. The latter contents himfelf with tell-
ing us, that it is a very low hillock, un tres has monticule. Voyage de la Caille, p. 341. We
are much obliged to Mr. Anderfon for his' very accurate account of this remarkable rock,
which agrees with Mr. Sonnerat’s, who was at the Cape of Good Hope fo late as 1781.
His words are, “ La Montagne de la Perle, merite d’etre obfervee. C’eft un des plus
“ hautes des environs du Cap. Elle n’eft compofee que d’un feul bloc de granit crevafle
“ dans plufieurs endroits.” Voyage aux Indes, Tom. II. p. 91.
Mr. Sonnerat tells us, that Mr. Gordon, Commander of the troops at the Cape, had
lately made three journies up the country, from which, when he publilhes his journal, we
may expedl much curious information.
45'
1776.
November;.
Wednef. 20.
mufquitoes
46
A VOYAGE 1' O
1776.
iN'oveinber.
Saturday 23-
m\il(iuitoe5 or Eiiid flies, which were the firft I faw in the
country. In the afternoon we fet out again, and in the
evening arrived at the Cape Town, tired with the jolting
waggon.”
On the 23d, we got on board the ohfervatory, clock. See.
By a mean of the feveral refults of the equal altitudes of the
Sun, taken with the aftronomical quadrant, the agronomi-
cal clock was found to lofe on fidereal time, i' 8 ",368 each
day. The pendulum was kept at the fame length as at
Greenwich, where the daily lofs of the clock on fidereal
time, was
The watch, by the mean of the refults of fifteen days
obfervations, was found to be lofing 2'^,26i, on mean time,
each day ; which is i^",052 more than at Greenwich ; and
on the 2 1 ft, at noon, flie was too flow for mean time by
i”' 20' 57'^,66. From this, 6' 48 ,956, is to be fubftra(5ted,
for w’hat file was too How on the nth of June at Green-
wich, and her daily rate fince ; and the remainder, viz.
i"' 14'. 08'^, 704, or 18° 32'' 10'", will he the longitude of the
Cape Town by the watch. Its true longitude, as found by
Meflfs. Mafon and Dixon, is 18° 23' 15^'. As our obferva-
tions were made about half a mile to the Eaft of theirs, the
error of the watch, in longitude, is no more than 8" 25'''.
Hence we have reafon to conclude, that flie had gone well
all the way from England, and that the longitude, thus
given, may be nearer the truth than any other.
If this be admitted, it will, in a great meafure, enable me
to find the dire6tion and ftrength of the currents we met
with on this paftage from England. For, by comparing the
latitude and longitude by dead reckoning, with thofe by
obfervation and the watch, we fliall, from time to time,
have, very accurately, the error of the fliip’s reckoning, be
the
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
47
the Caule what it will. But as all imaginable care was taken 1776.
in heaving and keeping the log, and every neceffary allow-
ance made for lee-way, heave of the fea, and other fuch
circumftances, I cannot attribute thofe errors that did hap-
pen, to any other caufe but currents ; but more particularly
when the error was conftantly the fame way, for feveral
days fucceflively.
On the contrary, if we find the fhip a-head of the rec-
koning on one day, and a-llern of it on another, we have
reafon to believe that Inch errors are owing to accidental
caufes, and not to currents. This feems to have been the
cafe in our paffage between England and Teneriffe. But,
from the time of our leaving that ifland, till the 15th of
Auguft, being then in the latitude of 12° North, and longi-
tude 24° Weft, the fliip was carried 1° 20' of longitude to the
Weftward of her reckoning. At this ftation, the currents
took a contrary direction, and fet to Eaft South Eaft, at the
rate of twelve or fourteen miles a day, or twenty-four hours,
till we arrived into the latitude of 5° North, and longitude of
10° Weft; which was our moft Eafterly lituation after leav-
ing the Cape de Verde Iftands, till we got to the Southv/ard.
For in this lituation the wind came Southerly, and we tacked
and ftretched to the Weftward ; and, for two or three days,
could not find that our reckoning was affecfted by any cur-
rent. So that, I judged, we were between the current that
generally, if not conftantly, fets to the Eaft upon the coaft
of Guinea, and that which fets to the Weft toward the
coaft of Brafil.
This Wefterly current was not confiderable till we got
into 2° North, and 25° Weft. From this ftation, to 3° South
and 30° Weft, the Ihip, in the fpace of four days, was car-
ried one hundred and fifteen miles in the direction of Soutli
Weft
A VOYAGE TO
4^
^ 1776.
November.
Welt by Weft, beyond her reckoning ; an error by far too
great to have any other caufe but a ftrong current running
in the fame diredtion. Nor did its ftrength abate here ; but
its courfe was, afterward, more Wefterly, and to the North
of Weft ; and off Cape Auguftine, North, as I have already
mentioned. But this Northerly current did not exift at
twenty or thirty leagues to the Southward of that Cape ;
nor any other, that I could perceive, in the remaining part
of the paftage. The little difference we afterward found
between the reckoning and obfervations, might very well
happen without the affiftance of currents ; as will appear
by the Table of Days Works.
In the account of my laft voyage I remarked, that the
currents one meets with in this paffage generally balance
each other. It happened fo then ; becaufe we croffed the
line about 20° more to the Eaftward than we did now ; fo
that we were, of confequence, longer under the influence
of the Eafterly current, which made up for the Wefterly
one. And this, I apprehend, will generally be the cafe, if
you crofs the line lo*" or 15° to the Eaft of the meridian of
St. Jago.
From thefe remarks I fliall draw the following conclu-
fion. That, after palling the Cape de Verde lllands, if you
do not make above 4° or 5° Eafting, and crofs the line in, or
to the Weftward of, the meridian of St. Jago, you may ex-
pert to find your fliip 3° or 4° to the Weftward of her reck-
oning, by the time you get into the latitude of 10° South.
If, on the other hand, you keep well to the Eaft, and crofs
the line 15° or 20° to the Eaft of St. Jago, you will be then
as much to the Eaft of your reckoning ; and the more you
keep to the Eaftward, the greater will be your error ; as has
■* Captain Cook’s Voyage, Vol. I. p. 14.
been
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
49
been experienced by fome India fliips, whofe people have 1776.
found themfelves clofe upon the coaft of Angola, when .
they thought its diftance was above two hundred leagues.
During the whole of our palTage from England, no op-
portunity was omitted of obferving, with all the attention
and accuracy that circumftances would permit, the variation
of the compafs, which I have inferted in a Table, with the
latitude and longitude of the fhip at the time of obfervation.
As the longitude may be depended upon, to a quarter or
half a degree at moft, this Table will be of ufe to thofe na-
vigators who correal their reckoning by the variation. It
will alfo enable Mr. Dun to correct his new Variation Chart,
a thing very much wanted.
It feems ftrange to me, that the advocates for the varia-
tion fliould not agree amongft themfelves. We find one of
them telling us, as I have already obferved, that with S'’
IVeJl variation^ or any thing above that, you may venture to
Jail by the Cape de Verde IJlands, by night or day, being well
ajpured, with that variation, that you are to the Vaftward of
them. Another, in his Chart t, lays down this variation
ninety leagues to the Weftward of them. Such a difagree-
ment as this, is a ftrong proof of the uncertainty of both.
However, I have no doubt, the former found here, as well
as in other places, the variation he mentions. But he fliould
have confidered, that at fea, nay even on land, the refults
of the mofl: accurate obfervations will not always be the
fame. Dilferent compalTes will give different variations ;
and even the fame compafs will differ from itfelf two de-
grees, without our being able to difcover, much lefs to re-
move, the caufe.
VoL. I.
* Nichelfon.
t Mr. Dun.
H
Whoever
50
A VOYAGE TO
1776.
November#
Whoever imagines he can find the variation within a
degree, will very often fee himfelf much deceived. For,
befides the imperfection which may be in the conltmCtion
of the inftrument, or in the power of the needle, it is cer-
tain that the motion of the fhip, or attraction of the iron-
work, or fome other caufe not yet difcovered, will frequent-
ly occafion far greater errors than this. That the variation
may be found, with a fhare of accuracy more than fuffi-
cient to determine the fliip’s courfe, is allowed ; but that it
can be found fo exaCtly as to fix the longitude within a de-
gree, or fixty miles, I abfolutely deny.
CHAP.
fl'ifrJY/irnnir
■Royfil Soujul
'^L'jipDnupliui
M. K<“
umups
^I. Alt>ii:\m
■RaN*-'
KElUJtiEIiKN’S Ii.VN15
r/iUfd /tv ('.(hn/‘
lA'j ',AJSr/J !'/ 'JJJEt VOJtATJO/!Sr.
///!■ ustfliatlptl
ailiHl Ooan
//»'/// f//< rtxMU'h IMilVrva lions w /W»' ■'//'
1 a Tn\i-1i «/■///- llpfoliilion
o 5 I
I* i* oyno K .
^O’ I?Bi»iunlcl A.
^ I.KoiuU*
(Sc?
Baye lJAUmKKI<!K
l.cli' la Tovlum-
(;:;;::;^Vv*j Liuul/w
Tap 'L<*uis
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
51
CHAP. IV.
'i'he two Ships leave the Cape of Good Hope. — fwo Iflands^
named Prince Edward'^s^ Jeen., and their Appearance de^
fcribed. — Kerguelen’s Land vifted. — Arrival in Chrifimas
Harbour. — Occurrences there. — Defer ipt ion of it.
FTER the difafter which happened to onr Iheep, it
f~\. may be well fuppofed I did not truft thofe that re-
mained, long on Ihore ; but got them, and the other cattle,
on board as fall as poffible. I alfo added to my original
flock, by purchafing two young buUs, two heifers, two
young ftone-horfes, two mares, two rams, feveral ewes and
goats, and fome rabbits and poultry. All of them were in-
tended for New Zealand, Otaheite, and the neighbouring
iflands, or any other places, in the courfe of our voyage,
where there might be a profpedf that the leaving any of
them would be ufeful to poflerity.
Toward the latter end of November, the caulkers had
finiflied their work on board the Difeovery, and fhe had re-
ceived all her provifions and water. Of the former, both
flrips had a fupply fufficient for two years and upward.
And every other article we could think of, neceffary for fuch
a voyage, that could be had at the Gape, was procured;
neither knowing when, nor where, we might come to a
place where we could furnifli ourfelves fo well.
1776.
November.
V
H 2
Having
52
A VOYAGE TO
1776.
November.
Saturday 30.
December.
Sunday 1.
Tuefday 3.
Thurfday 5.
Friday 6.
Thurfday 12.
Having given Captain Clerke a copy of my inftru6lions,
and an order directing him how to proceed in cafe of fepa-
ration ; in the morning of the 30th, we repaired on board.
At five in the afternoon a breeze fprung np at South Eaft,
with which we weighed, and flood out of the bay. At nine
it fell calm, and we anchored between Penguin Ifland and
the Eafl flrore, where v/e lay till three o’clock next morn-
ing. We then weighed and put to fea, with a light breeze
at South ; but did not get clear of the land till the morning
of the 3d, when, with a frefh gale at Weft North Wefl, we
flood to the South Eafl, to get more into the way of thefe
winds.
On the 5th, a hidden fquaU of wind carried away the
Refolution’s mizen top-mafl. Having another to replace it,
the lofs was not felt ; efpecially as it was a bad flick, and
had often complained. On the 6th, in the evening, being
then in the latitude of 39° 14' South, and in the longitude of
23° 56^ Eafl, we pafled through feveral fmall fpots of water
of a reddifh colour. Some of this was taken up ; and it was
found to abound with a fmall animal, which the micro-
fcope difcovered to be like a cray-fifli, of a reddifh hue.
We continued our courfe to the South Eafl, with a very
flrong gale from the Weflward, followed by a mountainous
fea ; which made the flrip roll and tumble exceedingly, and
gave us a great deal of trouble to preferve the cattle we had
on board. Notwithflanding all our care, feveral goats, efpe-
cially the males, died ; and fome fheep. This misfortune
was, in a great meafure, owing to the cold, which we now
began moil fenfibly to feel.
On the 1 2th, at noon, we faw land extending from South
Eafl by South, to South Eaft by Eafl. Upon a nearer ap-
proach,
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
53
proach, we found it to be two illands. That which lies moft iTje.
to the South, and is alfo the largeft, I judged to be about
fifteen leagues in circuit ; and to be in the latitude of 46° 53'
South, and in the longitude of 37° 46" Eaft. The moft Nor-
therly one is about nine leagues in circuit ; and lies in the
latitude of 46° 40" South, and in 38° 8' Eaft longitude. The
diftance from the one to the other is about five leagues.
We pafled through this channel, at equal diftance from
both illands ; and could not difcover, with the afliftance of
our beft glaftes, either tree or fhrub on either of them.
They feemed to have a rocky and bold fhore ; and, except-
ing the South Eaft parts, where the land is rather low and
flat, a furface compofed of barren mountains, which rife to
a confiderable height, and whofe fummits and fides were
covered with fnow, which in many places feemed to be of a
confiderable depth. The South Eaft parts had a much
greater quantity on them than the reft ; owing, probably,
to the Sun acting for a lefs fpace of time on thefe than on
the North and North Weft parts. The ground, where it
was not hid by the fnow, from the various fhades it exhi-
bited, may be fuppofed to be covered with mofs, or, per-
haps, fuch a coarfe grafs as is found in fome parts of Falk-
land’s Illands. On the North fide of each of the iflands is a
detached rock : that near the South ifland is fliaped like a
tower, and feemed to be at fome diftance from the fliore. ^
As we paired along, a quantity of fea-weed was feen, and
the colour of the water indicated foundings. But there was
no appearance of an inlet, unlefs near the rock juft men-
tioned ; and that, from its fmallnefs, did not promife a good
anchoring-place .
Thefe two iflands, as alfo four others which lie from
nine to twelve degrees of longitude more to the Eaft, and
nearly
54
A VOYAGE TO
1776. nearly in the fame latitude, were difcovered, as I have men-
j)ecember.^ tioned ill my late voyage by Captains Marion du Frefne,
and Crozet, French Navigators, in January 1772, on their
palTage in two lliips from the Cape of Good Hope to the
Philippine Illands. As they have no names in the French
chart of the Southern hemifphere, which Captain Crozet
communicated to me in 1775 t, I Ihall diftinguifh the two
we now faw, by calling them Prince Edward’s Illands, after
his Majefty’s fourth fon ; and the other four, by the name
of Marion’s and Crozet’s Illands, to commemorate their dif-
coverers.
We had now, for the moft part, llrong gales between
the North and Weft, and but very indifferent weather; not
better, indeed, than we generally have in England in the
very depth of Winter, though it was now the middle of
Summer in this hemifphere. Not difcouraged, however,
by this, after leaving Prince Edward’s Illands, I lhaped our
courfe to pafs to the Southward of the others, that I might
get into the latitude of the land difcovered by Monfteur de
Kerguelen.
I had applied to the Chevalier de Borda, whom, as I have
mentioned, I found at Teneriffe, requefting, that if he knew
any thing of the illand difcovered by Monfteur de Kergue-
len, between the Cape of Good Hope and New Holland, he
would be fo obliging as to communicate it to me. Accord-
ingly, juft before we failed from Santa Cruz bay, he fent
* Captain Cook’s Voyage, Vol. ii. p. 266. Thefe iflands are there faid to be in the la-
titude of 48° South ; that is, two degrees farther South, than what here appears to be
their real pofition.
t See Cook’s Voyage, as above. Dr. Forfter, in his Obfervations made during that
•voyage, p. 30, gives us this defcription of the Chart then communicated by Monfieur Cro-
zet : that it was publijhed under the patronage of the Duke de Croye, by Robert de Vaugondy.
Captain Cook tells us, lower in this Chapter, that it was publifhed in 1773.
me
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
55
me the following account of it, viz. “ That the Pilot of the 1776.
“ Bouflble, who was in the voyage with Monfieur de Ker-
“ guelen, had given him the latitude and longitude of a
“ little illand, which Monfieur de Kerguelen called the
“ Ifle of Rendezvous, and which lies not far from the
“ great illand which he faw. Latitude of the little ifle, by
“ feven obfervations, 48° 26' South ; longitude, by feven ob-
“ fervations of the diftance of the Sun and Moon, 64° 57'
“ Eaft from Paris.” I was very forry I had not fooner known
that there was on board the frigate at Teneriffe, an officer
who had been with Monfieur de Kerguelen, efpecially the
Pilot ; becaufe from him I might have obtained more in-
terefting information about this land than the fituation
alone, of which I was not before entirely ignorant
My
* Captain Cook’s proceedings, as related in the remaining part of this Chapter,
and in the next, being upon’ a coaft newly difcovered by the French, it could not but
be an objedt of his attention to trace the footfteps of the original explorers. But no
fuperiority of profeffional flcill, nor diligence in exerting it, could poffibly qualify him
to do this fuccefsfully, without pofleffing, at the fame time, full and authentic intelli-
gence of all that had been performed here by his predecellbrs in the difcovery. But that
he was not fo fortunate as to be thus fufficiently inftrudted, will appear from the following
fedls, which the Reader is requefted to attend to, before he proceeds to the perufal of
this part of the Journal.
How very little was known, with any precifion, about the operations of Kerguelen,
when Captain Cook failed in 1776, may be inferred from the following paragraph of his
Inftrudlions : “ Y ou are to proceed in fearch of fome iflands faid to have been lately feen
by the French in the latitude of 48“ South, and in the meridian of Mauritius (a).^'
This was, barely, the amount of the very indefinite and imperfedl information, which
Captain Cook himfelf had received from Baron Plettenberg at the Cape of Good Hope,
in November 1772 (b) ■, in the beginning of which year Kerguelen’s firji voyage had
taken place.
The Captain, on his return homeward, in March 1775, heard, a fecond time, fome-
ihing about this French difcovery at the Cape, where he met with Monfieur Crozet,
(a) See the Inftruftions in the Introdudtion.
(4) See Captain Cook’s Voyage, Vol. i. p. i6.
who
56
A VOYAGE TO
1776. My inftrudlions directing me to examine it, with a view
. to difcover a good harbour, I proceeded in the learch ; and
on
V'ho vt;ry obligingly communicated to him a Chart of the Southern Hemifphere, wherein were
delineated not only his own dijcoveries^ but alfo that of Captain Kerguelen (a). Eut what little
information that Chart could convey, was ftill neceflarily confined to the operations of
the firft voyage ; the Chart here referred to, having been publilhed in France in 1773 ;
that is, before any intelligence could poffibly be conveyed from the Southern Hemifphere
of the refult of Kerguelen’s fecond vifit to this new land ; which, we now know, hap-
pened towards die clofe of the fame year.
Of thefe latter operations, the only account (if that can be called an account, which
conveys no particular information) received by Captain Cook from Monfieur Crozet,
was, that a later Voyage had been undertaken by the French., under the command of Captain
Kerguelen, which had ended much to the difgrace of that commander (b).
What Crozet had not communicated to our Author, and what we are fure, from a
I'ariety of circumftances, he had never heard of from any other quarter, he miffed an
' opportunity of learning at Teneriffe. He exprefles his being forry, as we have juft
read, that he did not know fooner that there was on board the frigate an ojfficer who had been
with Kerguelen, as he might have obtained from him more interejling information about this
land, than its fituation. And, indeed, if he had converfed with that officer, he might
have obtained information more interejling than he was aware of ; he might have learnt
that Kerguelen had adfually vifited this Southern land a fecond time, and that the litde
ifle of which he then received the. name and pofition from the Chevalier de Borda, was
a difcovery of this later voyage. But the account conveyed to him being, as the Rea-
der will obferve, unaccompanied with any date, or other diftinguifhing circumftance, he
left Teneriffe, and arrived on the coafts of Kerguelen’s Land, under a full perfuafion that
it had been vifited only once before. And even, with regard to the operations of that
firft voyage, he had nothing to guide him, but the very fcanty materials afforded to him
by Baron Plettenberg and Monfieur Crozet.
The truth is, the French feem, for fome reafon or other, not furely founded on the
importance of Kerguelen’s difcovery, to have been very fhy of publifhing a full and
diftinfl account of it. No fuch account had been publifhed while Captain Cook
lived. Nay, even after the return of his fhips in 1780, the Gentleman who obligingly
lent his affiftance to give a view of the prior obfervations of the French, and to con-
nect them on the fame Chart with thofe of our Author, though his affidulty in procur-
ing geographical information can be equalled only by his leadinefs in communicating
it, had not, it fhould feem, been able to procure any materials for that purpofe, but
(a) Sec Cook’s Voyage, Vol. ii. p. 266.
(i) Ibid. p. 268,
fucb
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
57
on the i6th, being then in the latitude of 48° 45", and in the 1776.
longitude of 52° Eaft, we faw penguins and divers, and .
rock- weed floating in the fea. We continued to meet with Monday 16.
more or lefs of thefe every day, as we proceeded to the Eaft-
ward ; and on the 2ifl:, in the latitude of 48° 27' South, and Saturday 21.
in the longitude of 65° Eaft, a very large feal was feen.
We had now much foggy weather, and, as we expelled to
fall in with the land every hour, our navigation became
both tedious and dangerous.
At length, on the 24th, at ftx o’clock in the morning, as Tuefday 24.
we were fteering to the Eaftward, the fog clearing away a
little, we faw land bearing South South Eaft, which,
upon
fuch as mark the operations of the firft French voyage j and even for thefe, he was in-
debted to a MS. drawing.
But this veil of unneceflary fecrecy is at length drawn afide. Kerguelen himfelf has,
very lately, publifhed the Journal of his proceedings in two fucceffive voyages, in the
years 1772 and 1773 ; and has annexed to his Narrative a Chart of the coafts of this
land, as far as he had explored them in both voyages. Monfieur de Pages, alfo, much
about the fame time, favoured us with another account of the fecond voyage, in fome re-
ipe£ls fuller than Kerguelen’s own, on board whofe fliip he was then an officer.
From thefe fources of authentic information, we are enabled to drav/ every necellary
material to corredf what is erroneous, and to illuftrate what, otherwife, w’^ould have re-
mained obfcure, in this part of Captain Cook’s Journal. We fhall take occafion to do
this in feparate Notes on the paflages as they occur, and conclude this tedious, but, it is
hoped, not unneceflary, detail of facts, with one general remark, fully expreffive of the
difadvantages our Author laboured under. He never faw that part of the coaft upon
which the French had been in 1772 ; and he never knew that they had been upon ano-
ther part of it in 1773, which was the very fcene of his own operations. Confequently,
what he knew of the former voyage, as delineated upon Crozet’s Chart, only ferved to
perplex and miflead his judgment ; and his total ignorance of the latter.^ put it out of his
power to compare his own obfervations with thofe then made by Kerguelen ; ihough v/e,
who are better inftru6led, can do this, by tracing the plaineft marks of coincidence and
agreement.
* Captain Cook was not the original difcoverer of thefe fmall iflands which he now
fell in with. It is certain that they had been feen and named by Kerguelen, on his fecond
voyage, in December 1773’ Their pofition, relatively to each other, and to the adjoin-
V 0 L. I. I ing
S8
A VOYAGE TO
1776.
December.
upon a nearer approach, we found to be an ifland of con-
fiderable height, and about three leagues in circuit Soon
after, we faw another of the fame magnitude, one league
to the Eaftward t ; and between thefe two, in the dire6tion
of South Eaft, fome fmaller ones J. In the diredtion of
South by Eaft f Eaft, from the Eaft end of the firft illand,
a third § high ifland was feen. At times, as the fog broke
away, we had the appearance of land over the fmall iflands ;
and I had thoughts of fleering for it, by running in be-
tween them. But, on drawing nearer, I found this would
be a dangerous attempt, while the weather continued foggy.
For if there fliould be no paflage, or if we Ihould meet with
any fudden danger, it would have been impoflible for us to
get off ; the wind being right a-flern, and a prodigious fea
running, that broke on all the fhores in a frightful furf.
At the fame time, feeing another ifland in the North Eafl
diredtion, and not knowing but that there might be more,
I judged it prudent to haul off, and wait for clearer weather,
left we fhould get int angled amongfl unknown lands in a
thick fog.
We did but jufl weather the ifland lafl mentioned. It is a
high round rock, which was named Bligh’s Cap. Perhaps
ing coafts of the greater land, as reprefented on the annexed Chart, bears a ftriking re-
femblance to Kerguelen’s delineation of them ; whofe Chart, however, the Public may be
aflured, was unknown in England till after ours had been engraved.
* This is the ifle to which Kerguelen gave the name of Cray or Crouy. Befides deli-
neating it upon his Chart, he has added a particular view of it, exadlly correfponding with
Captain Cook’s account of its being of conftderable height.
t Kerguelen called this JJle Rolland^ after the name of his own ftiip. There is alfo a
particular view of it on the F rench Chart.
The obfervations of the French and Englifti navigators agree exadlly, as to the
pofition of thefe fmaller ifles.
§ The fituation of Kerguelen’s JJle de Qugny^ as marked on this Chart, fhews it to
be the third high ifland feen by Captain Cook.
this
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
59
this is the fame that Monlieur de Kerguelen called the Ifle 1776.
of Rendezvous ; but I know nothing that can rendezvous ,
at it, but fowls of the air ; for it is certainly inacceflible to
every other animal.
At eleven o’clock the weather began to clear up, and we
immediately tacked, and fleered in for the land. At noon,
we had a pretty good obfervation, which enabled us to de-
termine the latitude of Bligh’s Gap, which is the northern-
mofl ifland, to be 48° 29' South, and its longitude 68° 40'
Eaft f. We paffed it at three o’clock, handing to the South
South Eaft, with a frefh gale at Weft.
Soon after we faw the land, of which we had a faint view
in the morning ; and at four o’clock it extended from South
Eaft k Eaft, to South Weft by South, diftant about four
miles. The left extreme, which I judged to be the North-
ern point of this land, called, in the French Chart of the
* This ifle, or rocky was the Angle point about which Captain Cook had received the
leaft information at Teneriffe ; and we may obferve how fagacious he was in tracing
It. What he could only fpeak of as probabUy a comparifon of his Chart with that lately
publifhed by Kerguelen, proves to be certain ; and if he had even read and copied what
his predeceflbr in the difcovery fays of it, he could fcarcely have varied his account of
its ftiape. Kerguelen’s words are, “ IJle de Reuniony qui n’eft qu’une Rochcy nous fervoit
^ de Rendezvousy ou de point de ralliement; & reflemble a un coin de mire”
t The French and Englilh agree very nearly (as might be expedled) in their accounts
of the latitude of this ifland j but the obfervations by which they fix its longitude, vary
confiderably.
The Pilot at TenerifFe made it only 64° 57' Eafl: from Paris, which is about
67“ 16' Eaft from London; or 1° 24' more Wefterly than Captain Cook’s obferva-
tions fix it.
Monfieur de Pages fays it Is 66“ 47' Eaft from Paris, that is 69° 6'' Eaft from Lon-
don, or twenty-fix miles more Eafterly than it is placed by Captain Cook.
Kerguelen himfelf only fays that it is about 68° of Eaft longitude, par 68° de lon-
gitude.
I 2
Southern
6o
A VOYAGE TO
1776. Southern Hemifphere, Cape St. Louis terminated in a
perpendicular rock of a confiderable height ; and the right
one (near which is a detached rock) in a high indented
point t. From this point the coaft feemed to turn fliort
round to the Southward ; for we could fee no land to the
Weft ward of the diredfion in which it now bore to us, but
the iflands we had obferved in the morning; the moft
Southerly X of them lying nearly Weft from the point,
about two or three leagues diftant.
About the middle of the land there appeared to be an
inlet, for which we fteered ; but, on approaching, found it
was only a bending in the coaft, and therefore bore up, to
go round Cape St. Louis §. Soon after, land opened off the
* Hitherto, we have only had occafion to fupply defeats, owing to Captain Cook’s
entire ignorance of Kerguelen’s fecond voyage in 1773; we muft now corre(9: errors,
owing to his very limited knowledge of the operations of the firft voyage in 1772. The
Chart of the Southern Hemifphere, his only guide, having given him, as he tells us, the
name of Cape St. Louis (or Cape Louis) as the moft Northerly promontory then feen
by the French; and his own obfervations now fatisfying him that no part of the main
land ftretched farther North than the left extreme now before him ; from this fuppofed
fimilarity of fituation, he judged that his own perpendicular rock muft be the Cape Louis
of the firft difcoverers. By looking upon our Chart, we ftiall find Cape Louis lying
upon a very different part of the coaft ; and by comparing this Chart with that lately
publiftied by Kerguelen, it will appear, in the cleareft manner, that the Northern point
now defcribed by Captain Cook, is the very fame to which the French have given the
name of Cape F ran^ois.
t This right extreme of the coaft, as it now fliewed itfelf to Captain Cook, feems to
be what is reprefented on Kerguelen’s Chart under the name of Cape Aubert. It may
be proper to obferve here, that all that extent of coaft lying between Cape Louis and
Cape Francois, of which the French faw very little during their firft vifit in 1772, and
may be called the North Weft fide of this land, they had it in their power to trace the
pofition of in 1773, and have alfigned names to fome of its bays, rivers, and promon-
tories, upon their Chart.
t Kerguelen’s Ifle de Clugny.
§ Cape Francois, as already obferved.
Cape,
1
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
Cape, in the dire(5lion of South 53° Eaft, and appeared to be
a point at a confiderable did: ance ; for the trending of the
coaft from the Cape was more Southerly. We alfo faw
feveral rocks and iflands to the Eaftward of the above di-
rections, the moll diftant of which was about feven leagues
from the Cape, bearing South 88° Ea^l■'i^
We had no fooner got off the Cape, than we obferved the
coaft, to the Southward, to be much indented by projecting
points and bays ; fo that we now made fure of foon finding
a good harbour. Accordingly, we had not run a mile far-
ther, before we difcovered one behind the Cape, into which
we began to ply ; but after making one board, it fell calm,
and we anchored at the entrance in forty-five fathoms wa-
ter, the bottom black fand ; as did the Difcovery foon after.
I immediately difpatched Mr. Bligh, the Mailer, in a boat to
found the harbour; who, on his return, reported it to be
fafe and commodious, with good anchorage in every part ;
and great plenty of frefh water, feals, penguins, and other
birds on the fliore ; but not a flick of wood. While we lay
at anchor, w'e obferved that the flood tide came from the
South Eaft, running two knots, at leaft, in an hour.
At day-break, in the morning of the 25th, we weighed
with a gentle breeze at Weft; and having wrought into the
harbour, to within a quarter of a mile of the fandy beach
at its head, we anchored in eight fathoms water, the bottom
a fine dark fand. The Difcovery did not get in till two
o’clock in the afternoon; when Captain Clerke informed
me, that he had narrowly efcaped being driven on the South
* The obfervations of the French, round Cape Francois, remarkably coincide with
Captain Cook’s in this paragraph j and the rocks and iflands here mentioned by him, alfo
appear upon their Chart.
6t '
1776.
December.
V ./
Wednef. 25.
point
62
A VOYAGE TO
1776. point of the harbour, his anchor having ftarted before they
December.^ time to fliorten in the cable. This obliged them to fet
fail, and drag the anchor after them, till they had room -to
heave it up ; and then they found one of its palms was
broken off.
As foon as we had anchored, I ordered all the boats to
be hoifted out ; the Ihip to be moored with a hedge anchor ;
and the water-cafks to be got ready to fend on Ihore. In
the mean time I landed, to look for the moft convenient fpot
where they might be filled, and to fee what elfe the place
afforded.
I found the fliore, in a manner, covered with penguins
and other birds, and feals. Thefe latter were not nume-
rous, but fo infenfible of fear (which plainly indicated that
they were unaccuftomed to fuch vifiters), that we killed as
many as we chofe, for the fake of their fat or blubber, to
make oil for our lamps, and other ufes. Frefh water was
in no lefs plenty than were birds ; for every gully afforded
a large fiream. But not a fingle tree or fhrub, nor the leaft
fign of any, was to be difcovered, and but very little herb-
age of any fort. The appearances, as we failed into the
harbour, had flattered us with the hope of meeting with
fomething confiderable growing here, as we obferved the
fides of many of the hills to be of a lively green. But I now
found that this was occafioned by a fingle plant, which,
with the other natural productions, fliall be defcribed in
another place. Before I returned to my fhip, I afcended
the firfl ridge of rocks, which rife in a kind of amphithe-
atre above one another. I was in hopes, by this means, of
obtaining a view of the country ; but before I reached the
top, there came on fo thick a fog, that I could hardly find
my way down again. In the evening, we hauled the feine
at
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
63
at the head of the harbour, but caught only half a dozen
fmall fifli. We had no better fuccefs next day, when we
tried with hook and line. So that our only refource here,
for frefli provihons, were birds, of which there was an in-
exhauftible ftore.
The morning of the 26th proved foggy, with rain. How-
ever, we went to work to fill water, and to cut grafs for our
cattle, which we found in finall fpots near the head of the
harbour. The rain which fell, fwelled all the rivulets to
fuch a degree, that the fides of the hills, bounding the har-
bour, feemed to be covered with a fheet of water. For the
rain, as it fell, run into the fiffures and crags of the rocks
that compofed the interior parts of the hills, and was pre-
cipitated down their fides in prodigious torrents.
The people having wrought hard the two preceding days,
and nearly completed our water, which we filled from a
brook at the left corner of the beach, I allowed them the
27th as a day of reft, to celebrate Chriftmas. Upon this
indulgence, many of them went on fhore, and made excur-
lions, in different directions, into the country, which they
found barren and defolate in the higheft degree. In the
evening, one of them brought to me a quart bottle which
he had found, faftened with fome wire to a projecling rock
on the North fide of the harbour. This bottle contained a
piece of parchment, on which was written the following
infcription ;
1776.
December.
I f
Thurfday 26.
Friday 27.
Liulovico
64
A VOYAGE TO
1776.
December,
Ludovico XF Galliarwii
rege, et d. -'i'* de Boynes
regi a Secretis ad res
maritimas annis 1772
1773-
From this infcription, it is clear, that we were not the
firft Europeans who had been in this harbour. I fuppofed it
to be left by Monlieur de Boifguehenneu, who went on
diore in a boat on the 13th of February 1772, the fame day
that Monlieur de Kerguelen difcovered this land; as ap-
pears by a Note in the French Chart of the Southern He-
mifphere, publiflied the following year t.
As
* The (d)^ no doubt is a contraftlon of the word Domino. The French Secretary of
the Marine was then Monfieur de Boynes.
f On perufing this paragraph of the Journal, it will be natural to alk, How could Mon-
fieur de Boifguehenneu, in the beginning of 1772, leave an infcription, which,. upon the very
face of it, commemorates a tranfadlion of the following year ? Captain Cook’s manner of
expreffing himfelf here, ftrongly marks, that he made this fuppofition, only for want of
information to enable him to make any other. He had no idea that the French had vi-
fited this land a fecond time ; and, reduced to the neceflity of trying to accommodate
what he faw himfelf, to what little he had heard of their proceedings, he confounds a
tranfadlion which we, who have been better inftrudled, know, for a certainty, belongs to
the fecond Voyage, with a fimilar one, vi^hich his Chart of the Southern Hemifphere has
recorded, and which happened in a different year, and at a different place.
The bay, indeed, in which Monfieur de Boifguehenneu landed, is upon the Weft
fide of this land, confiderably to the South of Cape Louis, and not far from another
more Southerly promontory, called Cape Bourbon ; a part of the coaft which our (hips
were not upon. Its fituation is marked upon our Chart; and a particular view of the
bay du Lion Marin (for fo Boifguehenneu called it), with the foundings, is preferved by
Kerguelen.
But if the bottle and infcription found by Captain Cook’s people were not left ^here by
Boifguehenneu, by whom and when were they left ? This we learn moft fatisfacftorily,
from the accounts of Kerguelen’s fecond Voyage, as publifhed by himfelf and Monfieur
de Pages, which prefent us with the following particulars : That they arrived on the
Weft fide of this land on the 14th of December 1773 ; that, fleering to the North Eaft,
; they
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
65
As a memorial of our having been in this harbour, I
wrote on the other fide of the parchment,
Naves Refolution
et Difcovery
de Rege Magna Britannia',
T>ecembris 1776.
I then put it again into a bottle, together with a lilver two-
penny piece of 1772 ; and having covered the mouth of the
bottle with a leaden cap, I placed it, the next morning, in
a pile of hones erecSled for the purpofe, upon a little emi-
nence on the North Ihore of the harbour, and near to the
place
they difcovered, on the i6th, the IJle de Reunion^ and the other fmall iflands as mentioned
above ; that, on the 17th, they had before them the principal land (which they were fure
was connedled with that feen by them on the 14th), and a high point of that land, named
by them Cape Francois ; that beyond this Cape, the coaft took a South Eafterly direc-
tion, and behind it they found a bay, called by them Bate de I’Oifeau^ from the name of
their frigate ; that they then endeavoured to enter it, but were prevented by contrary
winds and blowing weather, which drove them ofF the coaft Eaftward ; but that, at laft,
on the 6th of January, Monfieur de Rofnevet, Captain of the Oifeau, was able to fend his
boat on (hore into this bay, under the command of Monfieur de Rochegude, one of his
officers, who took pojfejfion of that ba)\ and of all the country^ in the name of the King of
France^ with all the requifite formalities ”
Here then we trace, by the moft unexceptionable evidence, the hiftory of the bottle
and infcription ; the leaving of which was, no doubt, one of the requifite formalities ob-
ferved by Monfieur de Rochegude on this occafion. And though he did not land till the
6th of January 1774, yet, as Kerguelen’s ftiips arrived upon the coaft on the 14th of
December 1773^ had difcovered and looked into this very bay on the 17th of that
month, it was with the ftrifteft propriety and truth that 1773, and not 1774, was men-
tioned as the date of the difcovery.
We need only look at Kerguelen’s and Cook’s Charts, to judge that the Bale de
V Oifeau^ and the harbour where the French infcription was found, is one and the fame
place. But befides this agreement as to the general pofition, the fame conclufion refults
more decifively rtill, from another circumftance worth mentioning : The F rench, as well
VoL. I. K as
1776.
December.
V- — )
Saturday z%
66
A VOYAGE TO
1776. place where it was firft found ; in which polition it cannot
December, noticc of any European, whom chance or defign
may bring into this port. Here I difplayed the Britifh flag,
and named the place Chrijimas Harbour^ from our having
arrived in it on that feftival.
It is the firft , or northernmoft inlet that we meet with on
the South Eaft flde of Cape St. Louis "!•', which forms the
North fide of the harbour, and is alfo the Northern point of
this land. The fltuation alone is fufficient to diftinguilh it
from any of the other inlets ; and, to make it more remark-
able, its South point terminates in a high rock, which is
perforated quite through, fo as to appear like the arch of a
bridge. We faw none like this upon the whole coaft t. The
harbour
as the Englifli vifiters of this bay and harbour, have given us a particular Plan of it ; and
whoever compares ours, publilhed in this V olume, with that to be met with in Kergue-
len’s and de Pages’s Voyages, muft be ftruck with a refemblance that could only be pro-
duced by copying one common original with fidelity. Nay, even the foundings are the
fame upon the fame fpots in both Plans, being forty-five fathoms between the two Capes,
before the entrance of the bay ; fixteen fathoms farther in, where the fhores begin to con-
trail: ; and eight fathoms up, near the bottom of the harbour.
To thefe particulars, which throw abundant light on this part of our Author’s Journal,
I fliall only add, that the diftance of our harbour from that where Boifguehenneu landed
in 1772, is forty leagues. For this we have the authority of Kerguelen, in the following
palTage : “ Monfieur de Boifguehenneu defcendit le 13 de Fevrier 1772, dans un baie,
“ qu’il nomme Baie du Lion Marin, & prit poflellion de cette terre au nom de Roi ; il
“ n’y vit aucune trace d’habitants. Monfieur de Rochegude, en 1774, a defcendu dans
“ un autre baie, que nous avons nomme Baie de I’Oifeau, & cette feconde rade eft a qua-
“ rantes lieues de la premiere. II en a egalement pris pofleffion, & il n’y trouva egale-
“ ment aucune trace d’habitants.” Kerguelen^ p. 92.
* Cape Francois, for reafons already affigned.
t If there could be the leaft doubt remaining of the identity of the Baie de I’Oifeau,
and Chriftmas harbour, the circumftance of the perforated rock, which divides it from
another bay to the South, would amount to a ftridl demonftration. For Monfieur de
Pages had obferved this difcriminating mark before Captain Cook. His words are as
follows: “ L’on vit que la cote de I’Fft, voifine du Cap Francois, avoit deux bales;
“ elles
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
67
harbour has another diftinguifhing mark within, from a 1776.
fingle flone or rock, of a vaft lize, which lies on the top of
a hill on the South lide, near its bottom ; and oppolite this,
on the North lide, there is another hill, much like it, but
fmaller. There is a fmall beach at its bottom, where we
commonly landed ; and, behind it, fome gently riling
ground ; on the top of which is a large pool of frelh water.
The land on both lides of the inlet is high, and it runs in
Weft, and Weft North Weft, about two miles. Its breadth
is one mile and a quarter, for more than half its length ;
above which it is only half a milq. The depth of water,
which is forty-live fathoms at the entrance, varies, as we
proceed farther in, from thirty, to live and four fathoms,
as marked upon the Plan. The Ihores are fteep ; and the
bottom is every where a fine dark fand, except in fome
places clofe to the lliore, where there are beds of fea-weed,
which always grows on rocky ground. The head of the
harbour lies open only to two points of the compafs ; and
even thefe are covered by illands in the offing, fo that no
fea can fall in to hurt a lliip. The appearances on Ihore
confirmed this ; for we found grafs growing clofe to high-
water mark, which is a fure fign of a pacific harbour
It
“ dies etolent feparees par une pointe tres reconnolflable par fa forme, qut reprefentoit unt
porte cochere^ au trovers de laquelle I’ on voyoit lejourd’’ Voyages du M. de Pages, Vol. ii.
p. 67. Every one knows how exadly the form of a porte cochere^ or arched gateway,
correfponds with that of the arch of a bridge. It is very fatisfadory to find the two navi-
gators, neither of whom knew any thing of the other’s defcription, adopting the fame
idea ; which both proves that they had the fame uncommon objed before their eyes, and
tliat they made an accurate report.
* In the laft Note, we faw how remarkably Monfieur de Pages and Captain Cook
agree about the appearance of the South Point of the harbour ; I fhall here fubjoin ano-
ther quotation from the former, containing his account of the harbour itfelf, in which the
K 2 Reader
68
A VOYAGE TO
1776.
December,
' /
It is high-water here, at the full and change days, about ten
o’clock ; and the tide rifes and falls about four feet.
After I had finifhed this bulinefs of the infcription, I
went in my boat round the harbour, and landed in feveral
places, to examine what the Ihore afforded ; and, particu-
larly, to look for drift wood. For, although the land here
was totally deftitute of trees, this might not be the cafe in
other parts ; and if there were any, the torrents would force
fome, or, at leaft, fome branches, into the fea, which would
afterward throw them upon the Ihores ; as in all other
countries where there is wood, and in many where there
is none : but throughout the whole extent of the harbour,
I found not a fingle piece.
In the afternoon, I went upon Cape St. Louis accompa-
nied by Mr. King, my Second Lieutenant. I was in hopes,
from this elevation, to have had a view of the fea-coaft, and
\
Reader may trace the fame diftinguiftiing features obferved by Captain Cook in the fore-
going paragraph.
“ Le 6, I’on mit a terre dans la premiere baie a I’Eft du Cap Francois, & Ton prit
“ pofleffion de ces contrees. Ce mouHlage confifte en une petite rade, qui a environs
“ quatres encablures, ou quatre cents toifes de profondeur, fur un tiers en fus de largeur.
“ En dedans de cette rade eft un petit port, dont I’entree, de quatres encablures de lar-
“ geur, prefente an Sud-Eft. La fonde de la petite rade eft depuis quarante-cinq
jufqu’a trente brafles j et celle du port depuis feize jufqu’a huit. Le fond des deux eft
“ de fable noir et vafeux. La cote des deux bords eft haute, & par une pente tres rude ;
“ elle eft couverte de verdure, & il y a une quantite prodigieufe d’Outardes. Le fond du
“ port eft occupe par un monticule qui laille entre lui, et la mer une plage de fable.
“ Une petite riviere, de tres borme eau, coule a la mer dans cet endroit ; & elle eft
“ fournie par un lac qui eft un peu au loin, au defius du monticule. 11 y avoit fur le
“ plage beaucoup de pinguoins & de lions marins. Ces deux efpeces d’animaux ne
“ fuyoient pas, & Ton augura que le pays n’etoit point habite ; la terre rapportoit de
“ I’herbe large, noire, & bien nourrie, qui n’avoit cependant que cinque pouces ou plus
“ de hauteur. L’on ne vit aucun arbre, ni figne d’habitation.” Voyage du Monfieur dt
“ PageSy Tom. ii. p. 69, 70.
* Cape Fran9ois.
of
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
69
of the iflands lying off it. But, when I got up, I found 1776.
every diftant obje6l below me hid in a thick fog. The
land on the fame plain, or of a greater height, was vifible
enough, and appeared naked and defolate in the higheft
degree ; except fome hills, to the Southward, which were
covered with fnow.
When I got on board, I found the launch hoifted in, the
fhips unmoored, and ready to put to fea; but our failing
was deferred till five o’clock the next morning, when we Sunday z9,
weighed anchor.
CHAP,
70
A VOYAGE TO
CHAP. V.
Departure from Chrtjlmas Harbour. — Range along the CoajJ,
to difcover its Pojition and Extent. — Several Promontories
and Bays, and a Peninjula^ defer ibed and named. — Danger
from Shoals. — Another Harbour and a Sound. — Mr. An-
derfon^s Obfervations on the natural Produ&ions^ AnimalSj
Soily &c. of Kerguelen's Land.
1776,
December.
Sunday 29.
AS foon as the fhips were out of Chriftmas Harbour, we
fteered South Eaft \ South, along the coaft, with a
fine breeze at North North Weft, and clear weather. This
we thought the more fortunate, as, for fome time pall, fogs
had prevailed, more or lefs, every day ; and the continu-
ance of them would have defeated our plan of extending
Kerguelen’s difeovery. We kept the lead conftantly go-
ing ; but feldom ftruck ground with a line of fifty or fixty
fathoms.
About feven or eight o’clock, we were off a promontory,
which I called Cape Cumberland. It lies a league and a
half from the South point of Chriftmas Harbour, in the
diredfion of South Eaft \ South. Between them is a bay
with two arms, both of which feemed to afford good fhelter
for fliipping. Off Cape Cumberland is a fmall but pretty
high ifland, on the fummit of which is a rock like a fen-
try-box, which occafioned our giving that name to the
ifland. Two miles farther to the Eaftward, lies a group of
fmall
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
fmaU iflands and rocks, with broken ground about them :
we failed between thefe and Sentry-Box llland, the channel
being a full mile broad, and more than forty fathoms deep ;
for we found no bottom with that length of line.
Being through this channel, we difcovered, on the South
fide of Cape Cumberland, a bay, running in three leagues
to the Weftward. It is formed by this Cape to the North,
and by a promontory to the South, which I named Point
Pringlcy after my good friend Sir John Pringle, Prefident
of the Royal Society. The bottom of this bay was called
Cumberland Bay ; and it feemed to be disjoined from the fea,
which wafhes the North Weft coaft of this country, by a
narrow neck of land. Appearances, at leaft, favoured fuch
a conjecture.
To the Southward of Point Pringle, the coaft is formed
into a fifth bay ; of which this point is the Northern ex-
treme ; and from it, to the Southern extreme, is about four
miles in the dire61:ion of South South Eaft \ Eaft. In this
bay, wdiich obtained the Name of White Bay, on account of
fome w hite fpots of land or rocks in the bottom of it, are
feveral lefler bays or coves, which feemed to be flieltered
from all winds. Off the South point, are feveral rocks
which raife their heads above water ; and, probably, many
more that do not.
Thus far our courfe was in a direction parallel to the
coaft, and not more than two miles from it. Thither our
glaffes were continually pointed ; and we could eafily fee
that, except the bottoms of the bays and coves, which, for
the moft part, terminated in fandy beaches, the ftiores were
rocky, and, in many places, fwarmed with birds ; but the
country had the fame barren and naked appearance as in
the neighbourhood of Chriftmas Harbour..
71
1776.
December.
We
72
A VOYAGE TO
1776. We had kept, on our larboard bow, the land which firft
December.^ Opened ofF Cape St. Louisa’s in the direction of South 53° Eaft,
thinking that it was an illand, and that we fliould find a
palfage between it and the main. We now difcovered this
to be a miftake ; and found that it was a peninfula, joined
to the reft of the coaft by a low ifthmus. I called the bay,
formed by this peninfula, Repulje Bay ; and a branch of it
feemed to run a good way inland towards the South South
Weft. Leaving this, we fteered for the Northern point of
the peninfula, which we named Howe's Foreland-, in honour
of Admiral Lord Howe.
As we drew near it, we perceived fome rocks and break-
ers near the North Weft part; and two illands a league
and a half to the Eaftward of it, which, at firft, appeared
as one. I fteered between them and the Foreland f, and
was in the middle of the channel by noon. At that time
our latitude, by obfervation, was 48° 51' South; and we
had made twenty-fix miles of Eaft longitude from Cape
St. Louis
From this fituation, the moft advanced land to the South-
ward bore South Eaft ; but the trending of the coaft from
the Foreland was more Southerly. The iflands which lie
off Chriftmas Harbour bore North ; and the North point of
the Foreland, North 60° Weft, diftant three miles. The land
* Cape Francois.
f Though Kerguelen’s ftilps, in 1773, did not venture to explore this part of the
coaft, Monfieur de Pages’s account of it anfwers well to Captain Cook’s. “ Du 17
“ au 23, Ton ne prit d’autre connoiftance que celle de la figure de la cote, qui, courant
“ d’abord au Sud-Eft, & revenant enfuite au Nord-Eft, formoit un grand golfe. II etoit
“ occupe par des brifans & des rochers ; il avoit auffi une ifle balle, & allez etendue, &
“ I’on ufa d’une bien foigneufe precaution, pour ne pas s’aftaler d^ns ce golfe.” Voyage
du M. de Pages, Tom. ii. p. 67.
t Cape Francois.
of
THE
PACIFIC
OCEAN.
73
of this Peninfula, or Foreland, is of a moderate height,
and of a hilly and rocky fubftance. The coaft is low, with ^
rocky points Iliooting out from it ; between which points
are little coves, with fandy beaches ; and thefe, at this time,
were moftly covered with fea birds. We alfo faw upon
them fome feals.
As foon as we were clear of the rocks and iflands before
mentioned, I gave orders to fleer South Eafl by South, along
the coafl. But before thefe orders could be carried into ex-
ecution, we difcovered the whole fea before us to be che-
quered with large beds of rock-weed, which we knew to be
fall to the bottom, and to grow on rocky flioals. I had
often found a great depth of water on fuch fhoals ; and I
had, as often, found rocks that have raifed their heads
nearly to the furface of the water. It is always dangerous,
therefore, to fail over them before they are well examined ;
but more efpecially, when there is no furge of the fea to
difcover the danger. This was the cafe at prefent, for the
fea was as fmooth as a mill-pond. Confequently we endea-
voured to avoid them, by fleering through the winding
channels by which they were feparated. We kept the lead
continually going ; but never flruck ground with a line of
fixty fathoms. This circumflance increafed the danger, as
we could not anchor, whatever neceflity there might be for
it. After running in this manner above an hour, we difco-
vered a lurking rock, jufl even with the furface of the fea.
It bore North Eafl i Eafl, diflant three or four miles, and
lay in the middle of one of thefe large beds of weeds. This
was a fuflicient warning to make us ufe every precaution
to prevent our coming upon them.
We were now crofs the mouth of a large bay, that lies
about eight miles to the Southward of Howe’s Foreland. In
VoL. I. L and
1776.
December.
74
A VOYAGE TO
1776.
December.
and before the entrance of this bay are feveral low iflands,
rocks, and thofe beds of fea-weed. But there feemed to be
winding channels between them. After continuing our
courfe half an hour longer, we were fo much embarraffed
with thefe fhoals, that 1 refolved to haul off to the Eaft-
ward, as the likelieft means of extricating ourfelves from
the danger that threatened us. But fo far was this from
anfwering the intended purpofe, that it brought us into
more. I therefore found it abfolutely necelTary to fecure
the Blips, if poffible, in fome place before night ; efpecially
as the weather had now become hazy, and a fog was ap-
prehended. And feeing fome inlets to the South Weft of us,
I ordered Captain Clerke, as the Difcovery drew lefs water
than the Refolution, to lead in for the fliore ; which was
accordingly done.
In ftanding in, it was not poffible to avoid running over
the edges of fome of the flioals, on which we found from
ten to twenty fathoms water ; and the moment we were
over, had no ground at the depth of fifty fathoms. After
making a few boards to weather a fpit that run out from
an ifiand on our lee. Captain Clerke made the fignal for
having difcovered an harbour ; in which, about five o’clock,
we anchored in fifteen fathoms water, over a bottom of
fine dark fand, about three quarters of a mile from the
ffiore ; the North point of the harbour bearing North by
Eaft i Eaft, one mile diftant ; and the fmall ifiands in the
entrance, within which we anchored, extending from Eaft
to South Eaft.
Scarcely were the fliips fecured, when it began to blow
very ftrong ; fo that we thought it prudent to ftrike top-
gallant yards. The weather, however, continued fair ; and
the wind difperfing the fog that had fettled on the hills, it
was
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
75
was tolerably clear alfo. The moment, therefore, we had
anchored, I hohled out two boats ; in one of which I fent
Mr. Bligh, the Matter, to furvey the upper-part of the har-
bour, and look for wood ; for not a flirub was to be feen
from the fhip. I alfo delired Captain Clerke to fend his
Matter to found the channel that is on the South ttde of the
fmall ifles, between them and a pretty large illand which
lies near the South point of the harbour. Having given
thefe diredfions, I went myfelf, in my other boat, accompa-
nied by Mr. Gore, my firtt Lieutenant, and Mr. Bayly, and
landed on the North point, to fee what I could difcover
from thence.
From the highett hill over the point, we had a pretty
good view of the fea-coatt, as far as Howe’s Foreland. It is
much indented, and feveral rocky points feemed to fhoot
out from it, with coves and inlets of unequal extent. One
of the latter, the end of which I could not fee, was dif-
joined from that in which the fliips were at anchor, by the
point we then ttood upon. A great many fmall ittands,
rocks, and breakers appeared fcattered along the coatt, as
well to the Southward as Northward ; and I faw no better
channel to get out of the harbour, than by the one through
which we had entered it.
While Mr. Bayly and I were making the obfervations, Mr.
Gore encompatted the hill ; and joined us by a different
route, at the place where I had ordered the boat to wait for
us. Except the craggy precipices, we met with nothing to
obttru(tt our walk. For the country was, if poffible, more
barren and defolate than about Chrittmas Harbour. And
yet, if there be the leatt fertility in any part of this land,
Ave ought to have found it in this, which is completely
fheltered from the predominating bleak Southerly and
L 2 Wetterly
1776.
December.
76
A
VOYAGE TO
1776.
December.
' >
Monday 30.
Weflerly winds. I obferved, with regret, that there was
neither food nor covering for cattle of any fort ; and that,
if I left any, they mult inevitably perilli. In the little cove
where the boat waited for ns (which I called Penguin Cove,
as the beach was covered with thefe birds), is a fine rivulet
of frefii water, that may be eafily come at. Here were alfo
fome large feals, fliags, and a few ducks ; and Mr. Bayly
had a tranfient fight of a very fmall land bird; but it flew
amongft the rocks, and we loft it. About nine o’clock we
got on board.
Soon after, Mr. Bligh returned, and reported, that he had
been four miles up the harbour, and, as he judged, not far
from the head of it. He found that its direction was Weft
South Weft ; and that its breadth, a little above the fliips,
did not exceed a mile ; but grew narrower toward the head.
The foundings were very irregular, being from thirty-feven
to ten fathoms ; and, except under the beds of fea-weed,
which in many places extended from the fliore near half
channel over, the bottom was a fine fand. He landed on
both Ihores, which he found barren and rocky, without the
leaft figns of tree or flirub, and with very little verdure of
any kind. Penguins, and other oceanic birds and feals, oc-
cupied part of the coaft ; but not in fuch numbers as at
Chriftmas Harbour.
ffinding no encouragement to continue our refearches,
and, the next morning, both wind and weather being fa-
vourable, I weighed anchor and put to fea. To this harbour
I gave the name of Port Pallifer^ in honour of my worthy
friend Admiral Sir Hugh Pallifer. It is fituated in the lati-
tude of 49° 3' South, in the longitude of 69° 37' Eaft, and
five leagues from Howe’s Foreland, in the direction of South
25° Eaft. There are feveral iflands, rocks, and breakers
lying
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
lying in and without the entrance, for which the annexed
Chart of the coaft, and fhetch of the harbour, may be con-
fulted. We went in and out between them and the North
head ; but I have no doubt that there are other channels.
As we were handing out of Port Pallifer, we difcovered a
round hill, like a fugar-loaf, in the direction of South 72°
Eaft, about nine leagues diftant. It had the appearance of
an illand lying at fome diftance from the coaft ; but we af-
terward found it was upon the main land. In getting out
to fea, we had to fteer through the winding channels
amongft the flioals. However, we ventured to run over
fome of them, on which we never found lefs than eighteen
fathoms, and often did not ftrike ground with twenty-four ;
fo that, had it not been for the fea-weed growing upon all
of them, they would not have been difcovered.
After we had got about three or four leagues from the
coaft, we found a clear fea, and then fteered Eaft till nine
o’clock, when the Sugar Loaf hill, above mentioned, which
I named Mount Campbell^ bore South Eaft, and a fmall
ifland that lies to the Northward of it. South South Eaft,
diftant four leagues. I now fteered more Southerly, in or-
der to get in with the land. At noon, the latitude by dodble
altitudes was ^.9° 8' South ; and we had made eighty miles
of Eaft longitude from Cape St. Louis Mount Campbell
bore South 47° Weft, diftant about four leagues ; a low
point, beyond which no land was to be feen, bore South
South Eaft, at the diftance of about twenty miles ; and we
were about two leagues from the fhore.
The land here is low and level t. The mountains ending
about
* Cape Francois.
t This part of the coaft feems to be what the French faw on the 5th of January 1774.
Monfieur de Pages fpeaks of it thus : “ Nous reconnumes une nouvelle cote etendue de
“ toute
77
1776.
December,
t
78
December.
— V ^
A VOYAGE TO
about five leagues from the low point, a great extent of low
land is left, on which Mount Campbell is lituated, about
four miles from the foot of the mountains, and one from
the fea coaft. Thefe mountains have a confiderable eleva-
tion, as alfo moft of the inland ones. They feemed to be
compofed of naked rocks, whofe fummits were capt with
fnow. Nor did the valleys appear to greater advantage.
To whatever quarter we directed our gialTes, nothing but
fterility was to be feen.
We had fcarcely finiflied taking the bearings at noon,
before we obferved low land opening off the low point juft
mentioned, in the direction of South South Eaft, and eight
miles beyond it. This new point proved to be the very
Eaftern extremity of this land, and it was named Cape Dig-
by. It is fituated in the latitude of 49° 23' South, and in the
longitude of 70° 34' Eaft.
Between Howe’s Foreland and Cape Digby, the fliore
forms (belides the feveral leffer bays and harbours) one
great bay that extends feveral leagues to the South Weft,
where it feemed to lofe itfelf in various arms running in
between the mountains. A prodigious quantity of fea-
weed grows all over it, which feemed to be the fame fort of
weed that Mr. Banks diftinguiflied by the name of fucus
giganteus^'K Some of this weed is of a moft enormous length,
though the ftem is not much thicker than a man’s thumb.
I have mentioned, that on fome of the fhoals upon which it
grows, we did not ftrike ground with a line of twenty-four
fathoms. The depth of water, therefore, muft have been
“ toute veu dans I’Eft, & dans le Oueft. Les terres de cette cote etoient moins elevees
“ que celles que nous avions veues jufques ici ; elles etoient aufli d’un afpedt moins rude.”
De PageSy Tom. ii. p. 68.
* See Hawkefworth’s Collection of Voyages, Vol. ii. p. 42.
greater.
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
79
greater. And as this weed does not grow in a perpendicu- 1776.
lar direction, but makes a very acute angle with the hot-
tom, and much of it afterward fpreads many fathoms on
the furface of the fea, I am well warranted to fay, that
fome of it grows to the length of fixty fathoms and up-
ward.
At one o’clock (having run two leagues upon a South
Eaft I Eaft courfe, from noon) we founded, and found
eighteen fathoms water, and a bottom of fine fand. Seeing
a fmall bending in the coaft, on the North fide of Cape
Digby, I fleered for it. It was my intention to anchor there,
if I fhould find it might be done with fafety, and to land
on the Cape, to examine what the low land within it pro-
duced. After running in one league, we founded again,
and found thirteen fathoms ; and immediately after, faw a
ftioal right before us, that feemed to extend off from the
Ihore, from which we were diflant about two miles. This
difcovery obliged us to haul off, Eafl by South, one league,
where our depth of water increafed to twenty-five fathoms.
We then fleered along Ihore, and continued in the fame
depth, over a bottom of fine fand, till Cape Digby bore
Well, two leagues diflant, when we found twenty-fix fa-
thoms.
After this we did not flrike ground, though we tried
feveral times ; but the fhip having a good deal of way, ran
the line out before the lead could reach the bottom ; and
being difappointed in my view*^ both of anchoring and of
landing, I would not fliorten fail, but puflied forward, in
order to fee as much of the coafl as polfible before night.
From Cape Digby, it trends nearly South Wefl by South
for about four or five leagues, or to a low point, to which,
in
A VOYAGE TO
bo
1776. in honour of her Majefty, I gave the name of Point Char-
Decemben j|. jg Southemmoft Oil the low coaft.
Six leagues from Cape Digby, in the dire6tion of South
South Weft I Weft, is a pretty high proje(fting point, which
was called Prince of Wales’s Foreland ; and ftx leagues be-
yond that, in the fame direction, and in the latitude of 49°
54' South, and the longitude of 70° 13^ Eaft, is the moft
Southerly point of the whole coaft, which I diftinguiflied by
the name of Cape George., in honour of his Majefty.
Between Point Charlotte and Prince of Wales’s Foreland,
where the' country to the South Weft began again to be
hilly, is a deep inlet, which was called Royal Sound. It
runs in Weft, quite to the foot of the mountains which
bound it on the South Weft, as the low land before-men-
tioned does on the North. There are illands lying in the
entrance, and others higher up, as far as we could diftin-
guifti. As we advanced to the South, we obferved, on the
South Weft ftde of Prince of Wales’s Foreland, another
inlet into Royal Sound ; and it then appeared, that the
Foreland was the Eaft point of a large ifland lying in the
mouth of it. There are feveral fmaU iflands in this inlet ;
and one about a league to the Southward of Prmce of Wales’s
Foreland.
All the land on the South Weft ftde of Royal Sound, quite
to Cape George, is compofed of elevated hills, that rife di-
recftly from the fea, one behind another, to a conftderable
height. Moft of the fummits were capt with fnow, and
they appeared as naked and barren as any we had feen.
The fmalleft veftige of a tree or flirub was not difcoverable,
either inland or on the coaft ; and, I think, I may venture
to pronounce that the country produces none. The low
land
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
8i
land about Cape Digby, when examined through our glaffes, 1776.
refembled the reft of the low land we had before met with ;
that is, it appeared to be partly naked and partly covered
with a green turf ; a defcription of which fliall be given in
its proper place. The fliore is compofed of fandy beaches,
on which were many penguins, and other oceanic birds ;
and an immenfe number of fliags kept perpetually flying
about the fhips as we failed along.
Being defirous of getting the length of Cape George, to
be afllired whether or no it was the moft Southerly point of
the whole land, I continued to ftretch to the South, under
all the fail we could carry, till half an hour paft feven
o’clock ; when, feeing no likelihood of accomplifliing my
defign, as the wind had, by this time, flaifted to Weft South
Weft, the very diredtion in which we wanted to go, I took
the advantage of the fliifting of the wind, and ftood away
from the coaft.
At this time Cape George bore South 53° Weft, diftant
about feven leagues. A fmall ifland that lies off the pitch
of the Cape, was the only land we could fee to the South
of it ; and we were farther confirmed that there was no
more in that quarter, by a South Weft fwell which we
met as foon as we brought the Cape to bear in this direc-
tion.
But we have ftill a ftronger proof that no part of this land
can extend much, if at all, to the Southward of Cape
George ; and that is. Captain Furneaux’s track in February
1773, ^fter his feparation from me during my late voyage.
His log-book is now lying before me ; and I find from it,
that he crofiTed the meridian of this land only about feven-
teen leagues to the Southward of Cape George ; a diftance
at which it may very well be feen in clear weather. This
VoL. I. M feems
A VOYAGE TO
1776. feems to have been the cafe when Captain Fnrneanx paffed
\ it. For his log-book makes no mention of fogs or hazy
weather ; on the contrary, it exprefsly tells us, that, when
in this lituation, they had it in their power to make obfer-
vations, both for latitude and longitude, on board his fhip ;
fo that, if this land extends farther South than Cape George,
it would have been fcarcely poffible that he fhould have
pafled without feeing it.
From thefe circumftances we are able to determine,
within a very few miles, the quantity of latitude that this
land occupies ; which does not much exceed one degree
and a quarter. As to its extent from Eaft to Weft, that
ftill remains undecided. We only know, that no part
of it can reach fo far to the Weft as the meridian of 65®;^
becaufe, in 1773, under that meridian, I fearched for it in
vain
The French difcoverers, with fome reafon, imagined Cape
St. Louis t to be the projedling point of the Southern conti-
nent.
* If the French obfervations, as marked upon Captain Cook’s Chart, and ftill more
authentically upon that publiftied by their own difcoverers, may be depended upon, this
land doth not reach fo far to the Weft as the meridian of 68°; Cape Louis, which
is reprefented as its moft Wefterly point, being laid down by them to the Eaft of that
meridian.
t The idea of Cape Louis being this proje£ling point of a Southern continent, muft
have foon vaniftied, as Cape Francois, within a year after, was found, by the fame difco-
verer, to lie above one third of a degree farther North upon the fame land. But if Ker-
guelen entertained any fuch imagination at firft, we are fure that, at prefent, he thinks
very differently. This appears from the following explicit declaration of his fentiments,
which deferves to be tranfcribed from his late publication, as it does equal honour to his
candour, and to Captain Cook’s abilities. “ La terre que j’ai decouverte eft certaine-
“ ment une Ijle ; puifque le celebre Capitaine Cook a paffe au Sud, lors de fon premiere
“ voyage, fans rien rencontrer. Je juge meme, que cette ifle n'eji pas bien grande. II y
“ a aufli apparence, d’apres le Voyage de Monfieur Cook, que toute cette etendue de
“ Mers
.Jk
I
r „■
•'M .
9
►
82
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
nent. The Englifli have lince proved that no fuch continent
exifts ; and that the land in queftion is an ifland of no great
extent’:'-; which, from its fterility, I fliould, with great pro-
priety, call the Ifland of Defolation^ but that I would not
rob Monfieur de Kerguelen of the honour of its bearing his
name +.
Mr. Anderfon, my Surgeon, who, as I have already men-
Mers Meridionales, eft femee d’lfles ou de rochers j mais qu’il n’y a ni co?iUnent ni
“ grande ter re." Kerguelen, p. 92.
* Kerguelen, as we fee in the laft Note, concurs with Captain Cook as to this.
However, he tells us, that he has reafon to believe that it is about two hundred leagues in
circuit ; and that he was acquainted with about fourfcore leagues of its coaft. “ J’en
“ connois environs quatre-vingt lieues des cotes ; et j’ai lieu de croire, qu’elle a environ
deux cents lieues de circuit.” Kerguelen., ibid.
f Some of Monfieur de Kerguelen’s own countrymen feem more defirous than we
are, to rob him of this honour. It is very remarkable that Monfieur de Pages never once
mentions the name of his commander. And, though he takes occafion to enumerate the
feveral French explorers of the Southern Hemifphere, from Gonneville down to Crozet,
he afFe<51:s to preferve an entire filence about Kerguelen, whole firft voyage, in which the
difcovery of this confiderable trad! of land was made, is kept as much out of fight, as if it
never had taken place. Nay, not fatisfied with refufing to acknowledge the right of an-
other, he almoft alTumes it to himfelf. For upon a Map of the World, annexed to his
book, at the fpot where the new land is delineated, we read this infcription : IJles nouvelles
Aujirales vuees par Monfieur de Pages., en \ ’j 74. He could fcarcely have exprelfed himfelf in
ftronger terms, if he had meant to convey an idea that he was the conduilor of the difco-
very. And yet we know, that he was only a Lieutenant [Enfeigne de vaifleau] on board
one of the three Ihips commanded by Kerguelen ; and that the difcovery had been already
made in a former voyage, undertaken while he was a£l;ually engaged in his fmgular jour-
ney round the world.
After all, it cannot ^but be remarked, that Kerguelen was peculiarly imfortunate, in
having done fo little to complete what he had begun. He difcovered a new land indeed;
but, in two expeditions to it, he could not once bring his fhips to an anchor upon any
part of its coafts. Captain Cook, as we have feen in this, and in the foregoing Chapter,
had either fewer difficulties to ftruggle with, or was more fuccefsful in furmounting
them.
M 2 tioned,
83
1776.
December.
84
A VOYAGE TO
1776. tioned, had made Natural Hiftory a part of his ftudies, loft
no opportunity, during the fliort time we lay in Chriftmas
Harbour, of fearching the country in every diredlion. He
afterward communicated to me the obfervations he made
on its natural produdfions ; and I lliall infert them here in
his own words.
“ Perhaps no place, hitherto difcovered in either hemi-
fphere, under the fame parallel of latitude, affords fo fcanty
a field for the naturalift as this barren fpot. The verdure
which appears, when at a little diftance from the fliore,
would flatter one with the expedlation of meeting with
fome herbage ; but in this we were much deceived. For
on landing, we faw that this lively colour was occafioned
only by one fmall plant, not much unlike fome forts of
faxifrage^ which grows in large fpreading tufts, to a con-
fiderable way up the hills. It forms a furface of a pretty
large texture, and grows on a kind of rotten turf, into
which one finks a foot or two at every ftep. This turf,
dried, might, in cafes of neceflity, ferve for fuel, and is the
only thing we met with here that could polfibly be applied
to this ufe.
There is another plant, plentifully enough fcattered about
the boggy declivities, M^hich grows to near the height of
two feet, and not much unlike a fmall cabbage, when it
has fliot into feeds. The leaves about the root are nume-
rous, large, and rounded ; narrower at the bafe, and ending
in a fmall point. Thofe on the ftalks are much fmaller,
oblong, and pointed. The ftalks, which are often three
or four, all rife feparately from the root, and run into long
cylindrical heads, compofed of fmall flowers. It has not
only the appearance, but the watery acrid tafte of the anti-
fcorbutic
THE PACIFIC OCEAN*
85
fcorbutic plants, and yet differs materially from the whole 1776.
tribe ; fo that we looked upon it as a production entirely
peculiar to the place. We eat it frequently raw, and
found it almofl like the New Zealand fcurvy-grafs. But it
feemed to acquire a rank flavour by being boiled ; which,
however, fome of our people did not perceive, and efleemed
it good. If it could be introduced into our kitchen gardens^
it would, in aU probability, improve fo far by cultivation,
as to be an excellent pot-herb. At this time, none of its
feeds were ripe enough to be preferved, and brought home,
to try the experiment.
Two other fmall plants were found near the brooks and
boggy places, which were eaten as fallad ; the one almofl:
like garden creffes, and very fiery ; and the other very mild.
This lafl, though but fmall, is in itfelf a curiofity ; having
not only male and female, but what the botanifls call an-
drogynous plants.
A coarfe grafs, which we cut down for the cattle, grows
pretty plentifully in a few fmall fpots about the fides of the
harbour, with a fmaller fort which is rarer ; and, upon
the flat ground, a fort of goofe-grafs, and another fmall
plant much like it. In fliort, the whole catalogue of plants
does not exceed fixteen or eighteen, including fome forts of
mofs, and a beautiful fpecies of licheny which grows upon
the rocks, higher up than the reft of the vegetable produc-
tions. Nor is there even the leaft appearance of a fhrub in
the whole country.
Nature has rather been more bountiful in furnifhing it
with animals ; though, ftricftly fpeaking, they are not inha-
bitants of the place, being all of the marine kind ; and, in
general, only ufing the land for breeding, and for a refting-
place.
86
A VOYAGE TO
1776.
December.
place. The moft conliderable are feals, or (as we ufed to
call them) fea bears ; being that fort called the tirline feal.
Thefe come alhore to reft or breed ; but they were not very
numerous, which is not to be wondered at, as it is known
that thefe animals rather frequent out-rocks, and little
iflands lying off coafts, than bays or inlets. They were, at
this time, fliedding their hair, and fo tame, that we killed
what number we chofe.
No other quadruped, either of the fea or of the land
kind, was feen ; but a great number of birds, viz. ducks,
petrels, albatroftes, fliags, gulls, and fea-fwallows.
The ducks are about the ftze of a teal or widgeon ;
but fomewhat different in colour from either. They were
in tolerable plenty about the fides of the hills, or even
lower ; and we killed a conftderable number, which were
good, and without the leaft fifliy tafte. We met with
fome of the fame fort at the iftand of Georgia, in our late
voyage.
The Cape petrel, or Pintado bird ; the fmall blue one,
which is always feen at fea ; and the fmall black one, or
Mother Carey’s Chicken, are not here in great numbers.
But we found a neft of the firft with an egg in it, about the
ftze of a pullet’s ; and the fecond, though fcarce, was met
with in fome holes like rabbit-burrows.
Another fort, which is the largeft of all the petrels, and
called by the feamen Mother Carey’s Goofe, is in greater
numbers ; and fo tame, that at ftrft we could kill them
with a ftick iTpon the beach. They are not inferior in ftze
to an albatrofs, and are carnivorous, feeding on the dead
carcafles of feals or birds, that were thrown into the fea.
Their coloiTr is a footy brown, with a greenifli bill and
feet ;
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
87
feet ; and, donbtlefs, they are the fame that the Spaniards 1776.
call quebrantahueJ}os>i whofe head is figured in Pernetty’s , '
Voyage to Falkland Iflands
Of the albatroffes, none were found on fhore except the
grey one, which is commonly met with at fea in the higher
Southern latitudes. Once I faw one of thefe fitting in the
cliff of a rock, but they were frequently flying about the
harbour ; and the common large fort, as well as the fmaller
with a black face, were feen farther out.
Penguins form, by far, the greateft number of birds
here ; and are of three forts : The firft, or largeft, I have
feen formerly at the ifland of Georgia t. It is alfo men-
tioned by Bougainville J ; but it does not feem to be fo fo-
litary as he reprefents it, for we found confiderable num-
bers flocking together. The head is black, the upper part
of the body a leaden grey, and the under part white, with
black feet. It has two broad ftripes of fine yellow, that
begin on the fides of the head, and defcending by each
fide of the neck, meet above its breaft. The bill is partly
reddifh, and longer than in the other forts.
The fecond fort of penguin fcarcely exceeds half the fize
of the former. The upper part of the body is a blackifh
grey, with a white fpot on the upper part of the head,
growing broader at each flde. The biU and feet are yel-
lowifli. A very accurate figure and defcription, both of
this and of the preceding, is given by Mr. Sonnerat §.
The third fort of penguin met with here, had never been
feen by any of us before. Its length is twenty-four inches,
* Fig. 3. Plate VIII.
t Pennant’s Patagonian penguin. See his Genera of Birds. Tab. 14. p, 66.
J Voyage autour du Monde^ p. 6g.
§ Voyage d la Nouvelk Guinee^ p. 181, 182. Tab. 113. 115.
and
88
A VOYAGE TO
1776.
December.
V- 1
and its breadth twenty. The upper part of the body and
throat are black ; the reft white, except the upper part of
the head, which has a fine yellow arch, looking backward,
and ending on each fide in long foft feathers, which it can
ere6l as two crefts.
The two firft forts were found together on the beach ; the
large ones keeping by themfelves, and walking in fmall
flocks amongft the others, which were more numerous, and
were fometimes feen a confiderable way up the fides of the
hills. The third fort were only found by themfelves, but
in great numbers, on the outer fliores of the harbour.
They were breeding at this time ; and they lay, on the
bare ftones, only one white egg, larger than that of a duck.
All the three forts of penguins were fo tame, that we took
as many as we pleafed with oiir hands.
The fliags of this place are of two forts ; the lefler cor-
vorant or water crow, and another, which is black above,
with a white belly ; the fame that is found in New Zealand,
Terra del Fuego, and the ifland of Georgia.
We alfo met with here the common fea-gull, fea-fw allow,
tern, and Port Egmont hen ; the laft of which were tame
and numerous.
Another fort of white bird, flocks of which flew about
the bay, is very Angular ; having the bafe of the bill co-
vered with a horny cruft -'is It is larger than a pigeon, with
the bill black and the feet white, made like thofe of a cur-
lew. Some of our people put it in competition with the
duck, as food.
The feine was hauled once ; but we found only a few fifli
about the fize of a fmall haddock ; though quite different
* The (heath-bill. See Pennant’s Genera of Birds^ p. 43.
from
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
89
from any we knew. The fnout is lengthened ; the head
armed with fome ftrong fpines ; the rays of the back- ^
fin long, and very firong ; the belly is large ; and the body
without fcales. The only fhell filh are a few limpets and
mufcles ; and, amongfi; the ftones, a few fmall ftar-fifh and
fea-anemonies were found.
The hills are of a moderate height ; yet many of their
tops were covered with fnow at this time, though anfwer-
ing to our June. Some of them have large quantities of
ftones, irregularly heaped together at their foot, or on their
fides. The fides of others, which form fteep cliffs toward
the fea, are rent from the top downward, and feem ready
to fall off, having ftones of a confiderable fize lying in the
fiffures. Some were of opinion that froft might be the caufe
of thefe fiffures, which I fhall not difpute ; but how others
of the appearances could be effedled, but by earthquakes,
or fome fuch fevere fhocks, I cannot fay.
It appears that rain muft be almoft conftant here, not
only from the marks of large torrents having ruflied down,
but from the difpofition of the country, which, even on the
hills, is almoft an entire bog or fwamp, the ground finking
at every ftep.
The rocks, or foundations of the hiUs, are compofed
chiefly of a dark blue, and very hard, ftone, intermixed
with fmall particles of glimmer or quartz. This feems to
be one of the moft univerfal produ(ftions of Nature, as it
conftitutes whole mountains in Sweden, in Scotland, at the
Canary Iflands, the Cape of Good Hope, and at this place.
Another brownifh brittle ftone forms here fome confider-
able rocks ; and one which is blacker, and found in de-
tached pieces, inclofes bits of coarfe quartz. A red, a dull
yellow, and a purplifli fand-ftone, are alfo found in fmall
VoL. I. N pieces ;
1776.
December.
90
A VOYAGE TO
1776. pieces ; and pretty large lumps of femi-tranfparent quartz,
December (^jjfpofed irregularly in polyedral pyramidal cryftals of long
fliining fibres. Some fmall pieces of the common fort are
met with in the brooks, made round by attrition ; but
none hard enough to refill a file. Nor were any of the
other Hones a6led on by aqua fortis, or attracted by the
magnet.
Nothing, that had the lead; appearance of an ore or me*
tal, was feen.”
C H A P.
Makia’S
South cKpp
^ ’ y .yy.v.V 7.^yi> fluted Cape, whru SouQi Capo htatxt 2^2:7Eifj tii/linif J nn'(i\
' C' aj>c )*Vc tlcrtck 1 1 t'l ivv
JTctifpiiii XO aud
fluted Cape nJirii Peuguiu Illiuul fno/w ^vn7*Jr / •< /m'/’r ili/Kint
View f/' rhf LAyj>
AjIvcuIuiv
View of' V.1V DZEMEy’S JjAyji when thr >IewIloue JiaiiM yiE ilifhnit .i mih.
■'-Tctdicajli]!
Ta-unanpUead
Soillll C.
^iFw/toilC
Itildvltonc
J*edrii lilauco
rfy//f<7 Swillv u> //(rAdvciiliiiv
J/,iT7ni'r/"7'-
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
91
CHAP. VI.
PaJJage from Kerguelen's to Van Diemen's Land. — Arrival
in Adventure Bay. — Incidents there. — Interviews with the
Natives. — T'heir Perfons and Drefs dejcribed. — Account of
their Behaviour. — Lable of the Longitude^ Latitude.^ and
Variation. — Mr. Anderfon's Obfervations on the natural
ProduBions of the Country^ on the Inhabitants-, and their
Language.
After leaving Kerguelen’s Land, I fleered Eafl by-
North, intending, in obedience to my inflru6lions, to
touch next at New Zealand ; to recruit our water, to take
in wood, and to make hay for the cattle. Their number,
by this time, had been confiderably diminiflied ; two young
bulls, one of the heifers, two rams, and feveral of the goats
having of late died, while we were employed in exploring
this defolate coalt.
The 31ft in the morning, being the day after we flood
out to fea, we had feveral obfervations of the fun and
moon. Their refults gave the longitude 72° 33' 36^'' Eafl.
The time-keeper, in this fituation, gave 72° 38' 15^'. Thefe
obfervations were the more ufeful, as we had not been
able to get any for fome time before, and they now ferved
to affure us that no material error had crept into the time-
keeper.
On the ifl of January, being then in the latitude of 48° 41'
N 2 South,
1776.
December.
' *
Tuefday 31.
1777-
January.
Wednef. i.
92
A VOYAGE TO
1777-
January.
Thurfday 2.
Friday 3.
Tuefday 7.
Sunday 12,
Sunday 19.
South, longitude 76° 50^ Eaft, the variation was 30° 39^ Weft ;
and the next day, in the latitude of 48° 22" South, longitude
80° 22' Eaft, it was 30° 47' 18'' Weft. This was the greateft
variation we found in this paffage ; for afterward it began
to decreafe, but fo flowly, that on the 3d, in the evening,
being then in the latitude of 48° 16' South, longitude 85°
Eaft, it was 29° 38" Weft.
Thus far we had frefti gales from the Weft and South
Weft, and tolerably clear weather. But now' the wind veered
to the North, where it continued eight days, and was at-
tended with a thick fog. During this time, we ran above
three hundred leagues in the dark. Now and then the wea-
ther would clear up, and give us a fight of the fun ; hut
this happened very feldom, and was always of fliort conti-
nuance. On the 7th, I hoifted out a boat, and fent an or-
der to Captain Clerke, appointing Adventure Bay, in Van
Diemen’s Land, as our place of rendezvous, in cafe of fepa-
ration before we arrived in the meridian of that land. But
we were fortunate enough, amidft all this foggy weather,
by frequently firing guns as fignals, though we feldom faw
each other, not to lofe company.
On the 1 2th, being in the latitude of 48° 40' South, lon-
gitude 110° 26' Eaft, the Northerly winds ended in a calm ;
which, after a few hours, was fucceeded by a wind from
the Southward. This, with rain, continued for twenty-four
hours ; when it frefliened, and veered to the Weft and North
Weft, and brought on fair and clear weather.
We continued our courfe to the Eaftward, without meet-
ing with any thing worthy of notice, till four o’clock in the
morning of the 19th ; when, in a hidden fquall of wind,
though the Difcovery received no damage, our fore-top-maft
went by the board, and carried the main-top-gallant-maft
with
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
93
with it. This occalioned fome delay, as it took us up the 1777.
whole day to clear the wreck, and to fit another top-maft. ,
The former was accompliflred without lofing any part of
it, except a few fathoms of fmall rope. Not having a fpare
main-top-gallant-mafl: on board, the fore-top-gallant-mafi:
was converted into one for our immediate ufe.
The wind continued W efterly, blew a frefli gale, and was
attended with clear weather ; fo that fcarcely a day paflTed
without being able to get obfervations for fixing the longi-
tude, and the variation of the compafs. The latter de-
creafed in fuch a manner, that in the latitude of 44° 18“'
South, longitude 132° 2" Eaft, it was no more than 5° 34' 18"^
Weft; and on the 22d, being then in the latitude of 43° 27' wednef. 22,
South, longitude 141° 50' Eaft, it was 1° 24' 15^^ Eaft. So
that we had crolTed the line where the compafs has no va-
riation.
On the 24th, at three o’clock in the morning, we difco- Friday 24.
vered the coaft of Van Diemen’s Land, bearing North |
Weft. At four o’clock, the South Weft Cape bore North
North Weft | Weft ; and the Mewftone, North Eaft by Eaft,
three leagues diftant. There are feveral illands and high
rocks lying fcattered along this part of the coaft, the South-
ernmoft of which is the Mewftone. It is a round elevated
rock, five or fix leagues diftant from the South Weft Cape,
in the direction of South 55° Eaft.
At noon, our latitude was 43° 47'' South, longitude 147'^
Eaft ; and the fituation of the lands round us as follows :
An elevated round-topped hill bore North 17° Weft; the
South Weft Cape North 74° Weft; the Mewftone Weft f-
North ; S willy Hie or Rock South 49° Eaft ; and the South
Eaft or South Cape North 40° Eaft, diftant near three leagues.
The land between the South Weft and the South Capes is
broken
94
A VOYAGE TO
1777. broken and hilly, the coaft winding, with points fliooting
January. ^ from it ; but wc Were too far off, to be able to judge
whether the bays formed by thefe points were fheltered
from the fea-winds. The bay which appeared to be the
largefl and deepelf, lies to the Weffward of the peaked hill
above-mentioned. The variation of the compafs here, was
5*^ 15' Eaft.
At fix o’clock in the afternoon we founded, and found
lixty fathoms water, over a bottom of broken coral and
lliells. The South Cape then bore North 75° Weft, two or
three leagues diftant ; Tafman’s Head North Eaft; and
Swilly Rock South by Weft f Weft. About a league to the
Eaftward of Swilly, is another elevated rock, that is not
taken notice of by Captain Furneaux. I called it the Eddy-
Jlone^ from its very great refemblance to that light-houfe.
Nature feems to have left thefe two rocks here, for the fame
purpofe that the Eddyftone light-houfe was built by man,
viz, to give navigators notice of the dangers around them.
For they are the confpicuous fummits of a ledge of rocks
under water, on which the fea, in many places, breaks very
high. Their furface is white with the dung of fea fowls ;
fo that they may be feen at fome diftance, even in the night.
On the North Eaft fide of Storm Bay, which lies between
the South Cape and Tafman’s Head, there are fome coves
or creeks, that feemed to be flieltered from the fea-winds ;
and I am of opinion that, were this coaft examined, there
would be found fome good harbours.
Soon after we had fight of land the Wefterly winds left
us, and were fucceeded by variable light airs and alternate
Sunday 26. calms, till the 26th at noon. At that time a breeze fprung
up and frefliened at South Eaft, which put it in my power
to carry into execution the defign I had, upon due confi-
dcration.
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
95
deration, formed, of carrying the lliips into Adventure 1777-
Bay, where I might expert to get a fupply of wood and of ■
grafs for the cattle ; of both which articles we fliould, as
I now found, have been in great want, if I had waited till
our arrival in New Zealand. We therefore flood for the
bay, and anchored in it at four o’clock in the afternoon,
in twelve fathoms water, over a bottom of fand and ooze.
Penguin Illand, which lies clofe to the Eaft point of the
bay, bore North 84° Eaft; the Southernmoft point of
Maria’s Illands bore North 76° I Eaft; and Cape Frederic
Henry, or the North point of the bay, bore North 33° Eaft.
Our diftance from the neareft fliore was about three quar-
ters of a mile.
As foon as we had anchored, I ordered the boats to be
hoifted out. In one of them 1 went myfelf, to look for the
moft commodious place for furnifliing ourfelves with the
neceflary fupplies ; and Captain Clerke went in his boat
upon the fame fervice. Wood and water we found in
plenty, and in lituations convenient enough, efpeciaUy the
firft. But grafs, of which we flood moft in need, was fcarce,
and allb very coarfe. Necellity, however, obliged us to
take fuch as we could get.
Next morning early, I fent Lieutenant King to the Eaft Monday 27.
fide of the bay with two parties ; one to cut wood, and the
other to cut grafs, under the protedlion of the marines,
whom I judged it prudent to land as a guard. For although,
as yet, none of the natives had appeared, there could be no
doubt that fome were in our neighbourhood, as we had
feen columns of fmoke, from the time of our approaching
the coaft ; and fome now was obferved, at no great diftance
up in the woods. I alfo fent the launch for water; and
afterward
96
A VOYAGE TO
1777. afterward vifited all the parties myfelf. In the evening, we
drew the feine at the head of the bay, and, at one haul,
caught a great quantity of fifli. We flrould have got many
more, had not the net broken in drawing it afliore. Moft
of them were of that fort known to feamen by the name of
elephant fhli. After this, every one repaired on board with
what wood and grafs we had cut, that we might be ready
to fail whenever the wind flrould ferve.
Tuefday 28. This iiot happening next morning, the people were fent
on flrore again, on the fame duty as the day before. I alfo
employed the carpenter, with part of his crew, to cut fome
fpars for the ufe of the fhip ; and difpatched Mr. Roberts,
one of the mates, in a fmall boat to furvey the bay.
In the afternoon, we were agreeably furprifed, at the
place where we were cutting wood, with a vifit from
fome of the natives ; eight men and a boy. They ap-
proached us from the woods, without betraying any marks
of fear, or rather with the greateft confidence imaginable ;
for none of them had any weapons, except one, who held
in his hand a flick about two feet long, and pointed at
one end.
They were quite naked, and wore no ornaments ; un-
lefs we confider as fuch, and as a proof of their love of
finery, fome large punctures or ridges raifed on different
parts of their bodies, fome in flraight, and others in curved
lines.
They were of the common flature, but rather flender.
Their fkin was black, and alfo their hair, which was as
woolly as that of any native of Guinea ; but they were not
diflinguiflied by remarkably thick lips, nor flat nofes. On
the contrary, their features were far from being difagree-
able.
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
97
able. They had pretty good eyes ; and their teeth were 1777.
tolerably even, but very dirty. Moft of them had their .
hair and beards fmeared with a red ointment ; and fome
had their faces alfo painted with the fame compofition.
They received every prefent we made to them, without
the lead: appearance of fatisfa6lion. When fome bread was
given, as foon as they underftood that it was to be eaten,
they either returned it, or threw it away, without even
tailing it. They alfo refufed fome elephant fifh, both raw
and drelTed, which we offered to them. But upon giving
fome birds to them, they did not return thefe, and ealily
made us comprehend that they were fond of fuch food. I
had brought two pigs alliore, with a view to leave them in
the woods. The inllant thefe came within their reach, they
feized them, as a dog would have done, by the ears, and
were for carrying them off immediately ; with no other in-
tention, as we could perceive, but to kill them.
Being dehrous of knowing the ufe of the flick which one
of ourVifiters carried in his hand, I made figns to them to
fliew me ; and fo far fucceeded, that one of them fet up a
piece of wood as a mark, and threw at it, at the diflance of
about twenty yards. But we had little reafon to commend
his dexterity ; for, after repeated trials, he was flill very
wide from the obje6l. Omai, to fhew them how much fu-
perior our weapons were to theirs, then fired his mufquet
at it ; which alarmed them fo much, that notwithflanding
all we could do or fay, they ran inflantly into the woods.
One of them was fo frightened, that he let drop an axe and
two knives, that had been given to him. From us, how-
ever, they went to the place where fome of the Difcovery’s
people were employed in taking water into their boat. The
officer of that party, not knov/ing that they had paid us fo
Vgl. I. O friendly
98
A VOYAGE TO
1777.
January'.
» >
Wednef. 29.
friendly a vilit, nor what their intent might be, fired a muf-
qnet in the air, which fent them off with the greateft pre-
cipitation.
Thus ended our firft interview wifli the natives. Imme^
diately after their final retreat, judging that their fears
would prevent their remaining near enough to obferve what
was pafiing, I ordered the two pigs, being a boar and fow,
to be carried about a mile within the woods, at the head of
the bay. I faw them left there, by the fide of a freih-water
brook. A young bull and a cow, and fome fheep and goats,
were alfo, at firft, intended to have been left by me, as an
additional prefent to Van Diemen’s Land. But I foon laid
afide all thought of this, from a perfuafion that the natives,
incapable of entering into my views of improving their
country, would deftroy them. If ever they fhould meet
with the pigs, I have no doubt this will be their fate. But
as that race of animals foon becomes wild, and is fond of
the thickeft cover of the woods, there is great probability
of their being preferred. An open place muft have been
chofen for the accommodation of the other cattle ; and in
fuch a fituation, they could not poflibly have remained
concealed many days.
The morning of the 29th was ufhered in with a dead
calm, which continued all day, and effectually prevented
our failing. I therefore fent a party over to the Eaft point
of the bay to cut grafs ; having been informed that fome of
a fuperior quality grew there. Another party, to cut wood,
was ordered to go to the ufual place, and I accompanied them
myfelf. We had obferved feveral of the natives, this morn-
ing, fauntering along the Ihore, which aflured us, that
though their confternation had made them leave us fo
abruptly the day before, they were convinced that we in-
tended
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
tended them no mifchief, and were defirous of renewing
the intercourfe. It was natural that I iliould wifh to be
prefent on the occalion.
We had not been long landed, before about twenty of
them, men and boys, joined us, without expreffing the
leafl lign of fear or diftruft. There was one of this com-
pany confpicuoully deformed ; and who was not more dif-
tinguifliable by the hump upon his back, than by the drol-
lery of his geftures, and the feeming humour of his
fpeeches ; which he was very fond of exhibiting, as we
fuppofed, for our entertainment. But, unfortunately, we
could not underhand him ; the language fpoken here being
wholly unintelligible to us. It appeared to me, to be dif-
ferent from that fpoken by the inhabitants of the more
northern parts of this country, whom I met with in my
firft voyage ; which is not extraordinary, lince thofe we
now faw, and thofe we then vilited, differ in many other
refpedls Nor did they feem to be fuch miferable
* The moft ftrilcing difference feetns to be with regard to the texture of the hair.
The natives whom Captain Cook met with at Endeavour River in 1769, are faid, by
him, to have naturally long and black haivy though tt be univerfally cropped Jhort. In general
it is Jlraity but fometimes it has a flight curl. JVe faw none that was not matted and filthy.
Tloeir beards were of the fame colour with the hair^ and bufhy and thick. See Hawkefworth’s
Colleftion, Vol. iii. chap. 8. p. 632.
It may be neceffary to mention here, on the authority of Captain King, that Captain
Cook was very unwilling to allow that the hair of the natives now met with in Adventure
Bay was woolly^ fancying that his people, who firft obferved this, had beeai deceived, from
its being clotted with greafe and red ochre. But Captain King prevailed upon him after-
ward, to examine carefully the hair of the boys, which was generally, as well as that of
the women, free from this dirt ; and then he owned himfelf fatisfied that it was naturally-
woolly. Perhaps we may fuppofe it poffible, that he himfelf had been deceived when he
was in Endeavour River, from this very circumftance 3 as he exprefsly fays, that they faw
none that was not matted and filthy.
99
^in-
January.
O 2
wretches
A VO Y A G E TO
lob
1777. wretches as the natives whom Dampier mentions to have
^anu^.^ weftern coaft
Some of onr prefent group wore, loofe, round their
necks, three or four folds of fmall cord, made of the fur of
fome animal ; and others of them had a narrow flip of the
kangooroo Ikin tied round their ankles. I gave to each of
them a firing of beads, and a medal ; which I thought they
received with fome fatisfacSlion. They feemed to fet no
value on iron, or on iron tools. They were even ignorant
of the ufe of fifli -hooks, if we might judge from their
manner of looking at fome of ours which we fliewed to
them.
We cannot, however, fuppofe it to be poffible that a peo-
ple who inhabit a fea-coaft, and who feem to derive no part
of their fuflenance from the produdlions of the ground,
lliould not be acquainted with fome mode of catching fifli,
though we did not happen to fee any of them thus employ-
ed ; nor obferve any canoe or velTel, in which they could go
upon the water. Though they abfolutely reje6ted the fort
of fifli that we offered to them, it was evident that fliell-
* And yet Dampier’s New Hollanders, on the Weftern coaft, bear a ftriking refem-
blance to Captain Cook’s at Van Diemen’s Land, in many remarkable inftances ;
I ft, As to their becoming familiar with the ftrangers.
2dly, As to their perfons ; being ftraight-bodied, and thin ; their Ikin black j and black,
fhort, curled hair, like the Negroes of Guinea ; with wide mouths.
3dly, As to their wretched condition ; having no houfes, no garment, no canoes, no
inftrument to catch large fifli j feeding on broiled mufcles, cockles, and periwinkles ;
having no fruits of the earth ; their weapons a ftraight pole, fliarpened and hardened at
the end, &c. &c.
The chief peculiarities of Dampier’s miferable wretches are, ift. Their eye-lids being
always half clofed, to keep the flies out, which were exceflively troublefome there : and,
adly. Their wanting the two fore-teeth of the upper jaw, and their having no beards.
See Dampier’’ s Voyages^ Vol. i. p. 464, &c. There feems to be no reafon for fuppofing
that Dampier was miftaken in the above account of what he faw.
fiHi,
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
lOI
fifli, at leaft, made a part of their food, from the many 1777.
heaps of mufcle-fliells we faw in different parts near the ^
fliore, and about fome deferted habitations near the head of
the bay. Thefe were little flieds or hovels built of flicks,
and covered with bark. We could alfo perceive evident
figns of their fometimes taking up their abode in the trunks
of large trees, which had been hollowed out by fire, mofl
probably for this very purpofe. In or near all thefe habi-
tations, and wherever there was a heap of fliells, there re-
mained the marks of fire ; an indubitable proof that they
do not eat their food raw.
After flaying about an hour with the wooding party and
the natives, as I could now be pretty confident that the lat-
ter were not likely to give the former any diflurbance, I left
them, and went over to the grafs-cutters on the Eafl point
of the bay, and found that they had met with a fine patch.
Having feen the boats loaded, I left that party, and returned
on board to dinner ; where, fome time after. Lieutenant
King arrived.
From him I learnt, that I had but jufl left the fliore, when
feveral women and children made their appearance, and
were introduced to him by fome of the men who attended
them. He gave prefents to all of them, of fuch trifles as he
had about him. Thefe females w^ore a kangooroo fkin (in
the fame fliape as it came from the animal) tied over the
flioulders, and round the waifl. But its only ufe feemed to
be, to fupport their children when carried on their backs ;
for it did not cover thofe parts which moll: nations conceal ;
being, in all other refpe£ls, as naked as the men, and as
black, and their bodies marked with fears in the fame man-
ner. But in this they differed from the men, that though
their hair was of the fame colour and texture, fome of them
had
102
A VOYAGE TO
1777. had their heads completely diorn or fliaved ; in others this
operation had been performed only on one fide, while the
reft of them had all the upper part of the head fliorn clofe,
leaving a circle of hair all round, fomewhat like the tonfure
of the Romifli Eccleftaftics Many of the children had fine
features, and were thought pretty ; but of the perfons of
the women, efpecially thofe advanced in years, a lefs fa-
vourable report \vas made. However, fome of the Gentle-
men belonging to the Difcovery, I was told, paid their ad-
drefies, and made liberal offers of prefents, which were re-
jected with great difdain ; whether from a fenfe of virtue,
or the fear of difpleafing their men, I fliall not pretend to
determine. That this gallantry was not very agreeable to
the latter, is certain : for an elderly man, as foon as he ob-
ferved it, ordered all the women and children to retire,
which they obeyed, though fome of them fliewed a little
relu61ance.
This condu6l of Europeans amongft Savages, to their wo-
men, is highly blameable ; as it creates a jealoufy in their
men, that may be attended with confequences fatal to the
fuccefs of the common enterprize, and to the whole body
of adventurers, without advancing the private purpofe of
* Captain Cook’s account of the natives of Van Diemen’s Land, in this Chapter, no
^oubt proves that they differ, in many refpeils^ as he fays, from the Inhabitants of the more
northerly parts of the Eaft coaft of New Holland, whom he met with in his firft voyage.
It feems very remarkable, however, that the only woman any of his people came clofe to,
in Botarjy Bay, fhould have her hair cropped Jloort ; while the man who was with her, is
faid to have had the hair of his head bujl% and his beard long and rough. Hawkefworth’s Col-
leftion, Vol. ili. p. 502. Could the natives of Van Diemen’s Land be more accurately
defcribed, than by faying that the hair of the men’s heads is bujhy., and their beards long and
rough., and that the women^s hair is cropped Jhort ? So far North, therefore, as Botany Bay,
the natives of the Eaft coaft of New Holland feem to refemble thofe of Van Diemen’s
Land, in this circumftance.
the
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
the individual, or enabling him to gain the obje6l of his
wifhes. I believe it has been generally found amongft un-
civilized people, that where the wonien are eafy of accefs,
the men are the firft to offer them to flrangers ; and that,
where this is not tine cafe, neither the allurement of pre-
fents, nor the opportunity of privacy, will be likely to have
the delired effect. This obfervation, I am fure, will hold
good, throughout aU the parts of the South Sea where I have
been. Why then fliould men acSl fo abfurd a part, as to rifle
their own fafety, and that of all their companions, in pur-
fuit of a gratification which they have no probability of
obtaining ?
In the afternoon I went again to the grafs -cutters, to for-
ward their work. I found them then upon Penguin Illand,
where they had met with a plentiful crop of excellent grafs.
We laboured hard till fun-fet, and then repaired on board,
fatisfied with the quantity we had colledted, and which I
judged fufficient to lafl till our arrival in New Zealand.
During our whole Ifay, we had either calms or light airs
from the Eaftward. Little or no time, therefore, was lofl
by my putting in at this place. For if I had kept the fea,
we fliould not have been twenty leagues advanced farther
on our voyage. And, fliort as our continuance was here,
it has enabled me to add fomewhat to the imperfect ac-
quaintance that hath hitherto been acquired, with this part
of the globe.
V an Diemen’s Land has been twice vifited before. It was
fo named by Tafman, who difeovered it in November 1642.
From that time it had efcaped aU farther notice by Euro-
pean navigators, till Captain Furneaux touched at it in
March 1773. I hardly need fay, that it is the Southern
point of New Holland, which, if it doth not deferve the
name
103
1777..
January.
'—tv f
104
A VOYAGE TO
>777-
January,
name of a continent, is by far the largeft ifland in the
world.
The land is, for the moft part, of a good height, diveiTified
with hills and valleys, and every where of a greenifli hue.
It is well wooded ; and, if one may judge from appearances,
and from what we met with in Adventure Bay, is not ill
fupplied with water. We found plenty of it in three or
four places in this bay. The beft, or what is moft conve-
nient for fliips that touch here, is a rivulet, which is one of
feveral that fall into a pond, that lies behind the beach at
the head of the bay. It there mixes with the fea-water ; fo
that it muft be taken up above this pond, which may be
done without any great trouble. Fire- wood is to be got,
with great eafe, in feveral places.
The only wind to which this bay is expofed, is the North
Eaft. But as this wind blows from Maria’s lllands, it can
bring no very great fea along with it ; and therefore, upon
the whole, this may be accounted a very fafe road. The
bottom is clean, good holding ground; and the depth of
water from twelve, to five and four fathoms. But the
annexed Chart will convey a better idea of every thing
neceflary to be known about Adventure Bay, than any de-
fcription.
Captain Furneaux’s fketch of Van Diemen’s Land, pub-
iifhed with the Narrative of my laft Voyage appears to me
to be without any material error, except with regard to Ma-
ria’s Iflands, which have a different fituation from what is
there reprefented. What my idea of them is, will be feen
in the fketch of that coaft here inferted ; and I infert it, not
as the refult of a more faithful, but merely of a fecond
* Vol. i. p. 1 15,
examination.
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
105
examination. The longitude was determined by a great
number of lunar obfervations, which we had before we
made the land, while we were in fight of it, and after we
had left it ; and reduced to Adventure Bay, and the feve-
ral principal points, by the time-keeper. The following
Table will exhibit both the longitude and latitude at one
view :
Latitude South.
Longitude Eaft.
Adventure Bay,
43"
11'
20'"—
-147° 29^
0"
Tafman’s Head,
43
33
0 —
—147 28
0
South Cape,
43
42
0 —
—146 56
0
South Weft Cape,
43
37
0 —
—146 7
0
Swilly Ifle, - - -
43
55
0 —
-147 6
0
Adventure
Variation of the compafs 5° 15' Eaft.
Dip of the South End of the Needle 70° 15
1777-
J anuary.
We had high-water on the 29th, being two days before
the laft quarter of the moon, at nine in the morning. The
perpendicular rife then was eighteen inches ; and there
was no appearance of its having ever exceeded two feet and
a half. Thefe are all the memorials ufeful to navigation,
which my fliort ftay has enabled me to preferve, with re-
fpe(5l to Van Diemen’s Land.
Mr. Anderfon, my Surgeon, with his ufual diligence,
fpent the few days we remained in Adventure Bay, in exa-
mining the country. His account of its natural i:)roduc-
tions, with which he favoured me, will more than com-
penfate for my filence about them : fome of his remarks on
the inhabitants will fupply what I may have omitted or re-
prefented imperfectly ; and his fpecimen of their language,
however fliort, will be thought worth attending to, by thofe
who wifli to collect materials for tracing the origin of na-
VoL. I. P tions.
A VOYAGE TO
1777. tions. I ihall only premife, that the tall ftraight foreft
January. ^ trccs, which Mr. Anclerfon defcribes in the following ac-
count, are of a different fort from thofe which are found in
the more Northern parts of this coaft. The wood is very
long and clofe-grained ; extremely tough; fit for fpars,
oars, and many other ufes ; and would, on occafion, make
good mails (perhaps none better), if a method could be
found to lighten it.
“ At the bottom of Adventure Bay is a beautiful fandy
beach, which feems to be wholly formed by the particles
waflied by the fea from a very fine white fand-ftone, that
in many places bounds the fliore, and of which Fluted
Cape, in the neighbourhood, from its appearance, feems
to be compofed. This beach is about two miles long, and
is excellently adapted for hauling a feine, which both fliips
did repeatedly with fuccefs. Behind this, is a plain or flat,
with a fait, or rather brackifli lake ,(rrinning in length
parallel with the beach), out of which we caught, with
angling rods, many whitifh bream, and fome fmall trout.
The other parts of the country adjoining the bay are quite
hilly ; and both thofe and the flat are an entire foreft of
very tall trees, rendered almoft impaffable by fhrubs,
brakes of fern, and fallen trees ; except on the fides of
fome of the hills, where the trees are but thin, and a coarfe
grafs is the only interruption.
To the Northward of the bay there is low land, ftretching
farther than the eye can reach, which is only covered with
wood in certain fpots ; but we had no opportunity to exa-
mine in what refpecSls it differed from the hilly country.
The foil on the flat land is either fandy, or confifts of a
yellowilli mould, and, in fome places, of a reddifli clay.
The fame is found on the lower part of the hills ; but
farther
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
107
farther up, efpecially where there are few trees, it is of a
grey tough calf, to appearance very poor.
In the valleys between the hills, the water drains down
from their fides ; and at laft, in fome places, forms fmall
brooks ; fuch indeed as were fufficient to fupply us with
water, but by no means of that lize we might expedt in fo
extenlive a country, efpeciaUy as it is both hiUy and well
wooded. Upon the whole, it has many marks of being
naturally a very dry country ; and perhaps might (inde-
pendent of its wood) be compared to Africa, about the Cape
of Good Hope, though that lies ten degrees farther North-
ward, rather than to New Zealand, on its other lide, in the
fame latitude, where we find every valley, however fmaU,
furniflied with a confiderable ftream of water. The heat
too appears to be great, as the thermometer flood at 64, 70,
and once at 74. And it was remarked, that birds were
feldom killed an hour or two, before they were almofi: co-
vered with fmall maggots, which I would rather attribute
merely to the heat ; as we had not any reafon to fuppofe
there is a peculiar difpofition in the climate to render fub-
ftances foon putrid.
No mineral bodies, nor indeed Hones of any other fort, but
the white fand one already mentioned, were obferved.
Amongft; the vegetable produdlions, there is not one, that
we could find, which afforded the fmalleft fubfiftence for
man.
The foreft trees are all of one fort, growing to a great
height, and in general quite ftraight, branching but little,
tiU toward the top. The bark is white, which makes them
appear, at a diftance, as if they had been peeled ; it is alfo
thick; and within it are fometimes collected, pieces of a
P 2 reddifli
1777.
January.
- — >
io8
A VOYAGE TO
1777. reddifh tranfparent gum or refin, which has an aftringent
. , tafte. The leaves of this tree are long, narrow, and pointed;
and it bears clufters of fmall white flowers, whofe cups
were, at this time, plentifully fcattered about the ground,
with another fort refembling them fomewhat in fhape, but
much larger ; which makes it probable that there are two
fpecies of this tree. The bark of the fmaller branches,
fruit, and leaves, have an agreeable pungent tafte, and
aromatic fmell, not unlike peppermint ; and in its nature,
it has fome affinity to the myrtus of botanifts.
The moft common tree, next to this, is a fmall one about
ten feet high, branching pretty much, with narrow leaves,
and a large, yellow, cylindrical flower, confifting only of a
vafl number of filaments ; which, being ffied, leave a fruit
like a pine-top. Both the above-mentioned trees are un-
known in Europe.
The underwood conlifls chiefly of a ffirttb fomewhat re-
fembling a myrtle, and which feems to be the leptojpermuin
fcoparium^ mentioned in Dr. Forfter’s Char. Gen. Plant. ;
and, in fome places, of another, rather fmaller, which is a
new fpecies of the melaleuca of Linnaeus.
Of other plants, which are by no means numerous, there
is a fpecies of gladiolus^ ruffi, bell-flower, famphire, a fmall
fort of wood-forrel, milk- wort, cudweed, and Job’s tears ;
with a few others, peculiar to the place. There are feveral
kinds of fern, as polypody, fpleenwort, female fern, and fome
moffes ; but the fpecies are either common, or at leafl found
in fome other countries, efpecially New Zealand.
The only animal of the quadruped kind we got, was a
fort of opojfum, about twice the fize of a large rat ; and is,
moft probably, the male of that fpecies found at Endea-
vour
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
109
voiir River, as mentioned in Hawkefworth’s Colle6lion of 1777.
Voyages It is of a dufky colour above, tinged with a
brown or rufty caft, and whitifli below. About a third of
the tail, towards its tip, is white, and bare underneath ; by
which it probably hangs on the branches of trees, as it
climbs thefe, and lives on berries. Mr. Webber’s drawing
w'ill give a better idea of it than any defcription. The kan-
gooroo, another animal found farther Northward in New
Holland, as defcribed in the fame Voyage t, without all
doubt alfo inhabits here, as the natives we met with had
fome pieces of their Ikins ; and we feveral times faw' ani-
mals, though indiftindtly, run from the thickets when we
walked in the woods, which, from the hze, could be no
other. It fliould feem alfo, that they are in conliderable
numbers, from the dung we faw almoft every where, and
from the narrow tracks or paths they have made amongft
the flirubbery.
There are feveral Ibrts of birds, but all fo fcarce and fliy,
that they are evidently harraffed by the natives, who, per-
haps, draw much of their fubliftence from them. In the
woods, the principal forts are large brown hawks or eagles ;
crows, nearly the fame as ours in England ; yellowifli pa-
roquets ; and large pigeons. There are alfo three or four
fmall birds, one of which is of the thrufli kind ; and ano-
ther fmall one, with a pretty long tail, has part of the head
and neck of a mod: beautiful azure colour ; from whence we
named it motacilla cyanea. On the fliore were feveral
common and fea guUs ; a few black oyfter catchers, or fea-
pies ; and a pretty plover of a ftone colour, with a black
hood. About the pond or lake behind the beach, a few
* Vol. iii. p. 586.
t Ibid, p. 577.
wild
no
A VOYAGE TO
1777- wiki ducks were feen ; and fome fliags ufed to perch upon
January. ^ high leaflefs trees near the fliore.
Some pretty large blackilli fnakes were feen in the
woods ; and we killed a large, hitherto unknown, lizard,
fifteen inches long and fix round, elegantly clouded with
black and yellow ; befides a fmall fort, of a brown gilded
colour above, and rufty below.
The fea affords a much greater plenty, and at leaf!: as
great a variety as the land. Of thefe the elephant fifli, or
pejegalloy mentioned in Frezier’s Voyage are the moft
numerous ; and though inferior to many other fifli, were
very palatable food. Several large rays, nurfes, and fmall
leather-jackets were caught; with fome fmaU white bream,
which were firmer and better than thofe caught in the
lake. We like wife got a few foies and flounders ; two
forts of gurnards, one of them a new fpecies ; fome fmaU
fpotted mullet ; and, very unexpedfedly, the fmall fifli
with a filver band on its fide, called atherina hepfetus by
Haffelquift t.
But that next in number, and fuperior in goodnefs, to the
elephant fifli, was a fort none of us recollected to have feen
before. It partakes of the nature both of a round and of a
flat fifli, having the eyes placed very near each other ; the
fore-part of the body much flattened or depreffed, and the
reft rounded. It is of a brownifli fandy colour, with rufty
fpots on the upper part, and whitifli below. From the
quantity of flime it was always covered with, it feems to
live after the manner of flat fifli, at the bottom.
Upon the rocks are plenty of mufcles, and fome other
fmall fliell-fifli. There are alfo great numbers of fea-ftars ;
* Tom. ii. p. 21 1. i2mo. Planche XVII. f Iter Paleejlinum.
fome
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
Ill
fome fmall limpets ; and large quantities of fponge ; one 1777-
fort of which, that is thrown on fliore by the fea, but not .
very common, has a moft delicate texture ; and another, is
the fpongia dichotoma.
Many pretty Medufd’s heads were found upon the beach ;
and the ftinking laplyfia or fea-hare, which, as mentioned
by fome authors, has the property of taking off the hair by
the acrimony of its juice ; but this fort was deficient in this
refpecfi.
Infedls, though not numerous, are here in confiderable
variety. Amongfi: them are grafshoppers, butterflies, and
fever al forts of fmall moths, finely variegated. There are
two forts of dragon-flies, gad-flies, camel-flies ; feveral forts
of fpiders ; and fome fcorpions ; but the lafi: are rather rare.
The* moft troublefome, though not very numerous tribe of
,infe(fts, are the mufquitoes ; and a large black ant, the
pain of whofe bite is almoft intolerable, during the fliort
time it lafts. The mufquitoes, alfo, make up the defici-
ency of their number, by the feverity of their venomous
probofcis.
The inhabitants whom we met with here, had little of
that fierce or wild appearance common to people in their
fituation ; but, on the contrary, feemed mild and cheerful,
without referve or jealoufy of ftrangers. This, however,
may arife from their having little to lofe or care for.
With refpe(ft to perfonal activity or genius, we can fay
but little of either. They do not feem to poflefs the firft in
any remarkable degree ; and as for the laft, they have, to
appearance, lefs than even the half-animated inhabitants
of Terra del Fuego, who have not invention fuflicient to
make clothing for defending themfelves from the rigor of
their
112
A VOYAGE TO
1777. their climate, though furnifhed with the materials. The
. fmall hick, rudely pointed, which one of them carried in
his hand, was the only thing we faw that required any me-
chanical exertion, if we except the fixing on the feet of
fome of them pieces of kangooroo fkin, tied with thongs ;
though it could not be learnt whether thefe were in ufe as
flioes, or only to defend fome fore. It mufl be owned, how-
ever, they are mailers of fome contrivance in the manner
of cutting their arms and bodies in lines of different lengths
and diredlions, which are raifed confiderably above the fur-
face of the fkin, fo that it is difficult to guefs the method
they ufe in executing this embroidery of their perfons.
Their not expreffing that furprize which one might have
expelled from their feeing men fo much unlike themfelves,
and things, to which, we were well affured, they had been
hitherto utter flrangers ; their indifference for our prefents ;
and their general inattention ; were fufficient proofs of their
not poffeffing any acutenefs of underftanding.
Their colour is a dull black, and not quite fo deep as
that of the African Negroes. It fliould feem alfo, that they
fometimes heightened their black colour, by fmutting their
bodies ; as a mark was left behind on any clean fubllance,
fuch as white paper, when they handled it. Their hair,
however, is perfecSlly woolly, and it is clotted or divided
into fmall parcels, like that of the Hottentots, with the ufe
of fome fort of greafe, mixed with a red paint or ochre,
which they fmear in great abundance over their heads.
This practice, as fome might imagine, has not the effedl of
changing their hair into the frizzling texture we obferved ;
for, on examining the head of a boy, which appeared never
to have been fmeared, I found the hair to be of the fame
kind.
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
kind. Their nofes, though not flat, are broad and full. 1777.
The lower part of the face projects a good deal, as is the .
cafe of moft Indians I have feen ; fo that a line let fall from
the forehead, would cut off a much larger portion than it
would in Europeans. Their eyes are of a middling fize,
with the white lefs clear than in us ; and though not re-
markably quick or piercing, fuch as give a frank cheerful
call to the whole countenance. Their teeth are broad, but
not equal, nor well fet ; and, either from nature or from
dirt, not of fo true a white as is ufual among people of a
black colour. Their mouths are rather wide ; but this ap-
pearance feems heightened by wearing their beards long,
and clotted with paint, in the fame manner as the hair on
their heads. In other refpecSls, they are well-proportioned;
though the belly feems rather projedling. This may be
owing to the want of compreflion there, which few nations
do not life, more or lefs. The pofture of which they feem
fondeft, is to Hand with one fide forward, or the upper part
of the body gently reclined, and one hand grafping (acrofs
the back) the oppofite arm, which hangs down by the pro-
je61ing fide.
What the ancient Poets tell us of Fauns and Satyrs living
in hollow trees, is here realized. Some wretched conflruc-
tions of flicks, covered with bark, which do not even deferve
the name of huts, were indeed found near the fliore in the
bay ; but thefe feemed only to have been ere6led for tem-
porary purpofes ; and many of their largeft trees were con-
verted into more comfortable habitations. Thefe had their
trunks hollowed out by fire, to the height of fix or feven
feet ; and that they take up their abode in them fometimes,
was evident from the hearths, made of clay, to contain the
VoL. I, Q fire
A VOYAGE TO
114
1777. fire in the middle, leaving room for fonr or five perfbns to
January. ^ ^ fame time, thefe places of flielter are
durable ; for they take care to leave one fide of the tree
found, which is fufficient to keep it growing as luxuriantly
as thofe which remain untouched.
The inhabitants of this place are, doubtlefs, from the
■fame ftock with thofe of the Northern parts of New HoU
land. Though fome of the circumftances mentioned by
Dampier, relative to thofe he met with on the Weftern coaft
of this country, fuch as their defective light, and want of
fore teeth, are not found here ; and though Hawkefworth’s
account of thofe met with by Captain Cook on the Eaft fide,,
lliews alfo that they differ in many refpedfs ; yet ftill, upon
the whole, I am perfuaded that diflance of place, entire fe-
paration, diverlity of climate, and length of time, all concur-
ring to operate, will account for greater differences, both
as to their perfons and as to their cuftoms, than really exift
between our Van Diemen’s Land natives, and thofe defcribed
by Dampier, and in Captain Cook’s firft voyage. This is
certain, that the figure of one of thofe feen in Endeavour
River, and reprefented in Sidney Parkinfon’s Journal of that
voyage, very much refembles our viliters in Adventure Bay.
That there is not the like refemblance in their language, is
a circumftance that need not create any difficulty. For
though the agreement of the languages of people living
diifant from each other, may be affumed as a ftrong argu-
ment for their having fprung from one common fource;
* Tafman, when in the bay of Frederick Henry, adjoining to Adventure Bay, found
two trees, one of which was two fathoms, and the other two fathoms and a half in girth,
and fixty or fixty-five feet high, from the root to the branches. See his Voyage^ in Har^
ris's Colkliion^ Campbell’s Edition^ Vol. i. p. 326.
difagreement
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
115
clifagreement of language is by no means a proof of the
contrary
However, we muft have a far more intimate acquaintance
Avith the languages fpoken here and in the more Northern
parts of New Holland, before we can be warranted to pro-
nounce that they are totally different. Nay, we have good
grounds for the oppofite opinion ; for we found that the
animal called kangooroo at Endeavour river, was known un-
der the fame name here ; and I need not obferve, that it is
fcarcely pollible to fuppofe that this was not tranfmitted
from one another, but accidentally adopted by two nations,
differing in language and extradlion. Belides, as it feems
very improbable that the Van Diemen’s Land inhabitants
lliould have ever loft the ufe of canoes or failing veffels, if
they had been originally conveyed thither by fea, we muft
neceffarily admit that they, as well as the kangooroo itfelf,
have been ftragglers by land from the more Northern parts
of the country. And if there be any force in this obferva-
tion, while it traces the origin of the people, it will, at the
1777.
J anuary.
* The ingenious Author of Rkherches fur les yfmericains, illuftrates the grounds of this
aflertion in the following fatisfadlory manner : “ C’eft quelque chofe de furprenant, que
la foule des idiomes, tous varies entr’eux, que parlent les naturels de I’Amerique Sep-
“ tentrionale. Qu’on reduife ces idiomes a des racines, qu’on les fimplifie, qu’on en
“ fepare les dialedtes et les jargons derives, il en refulte toujours cinq ou fix langues-meres,
“ refpedlivement incomprehenfibles. On a obferve la meme fingularlte dans la Siberie et
“ la Tartaric, ou le nombre des idiomes, et des dialedfes, eft egalement multiplie ; et rien
“ n’eft plus commun, que d’y voir deux hordes voifmes qui ne fe comprennent point. On
retrouve cette meme multiplicite de jargons dans toutes les Provinces de I’Amerique
“ Meridionale.” [He might alfo have included Africa.] “ II y abeaucoup d’apparence
“ que la vie fauva^e, en difperfant les homines par petites troupes ifolees dans des hois cpais^ occa~
“ fione necrffairement cette grande diverjite des langues^ dont le nombre diminue a mefure que
“ la fociete, en raflemblant les barbares vagabonds, en forme un corps de nation. Alors
I’idiome le plus riche, ou le moins pauvre en mots, devient dominant, et abforbe les
“ autres.” Tom. i. p. 159, 160.
Q2
fame
ii6
A VOYAGE TO
1777. fame time, ferve to fix another point, if Captain Cook and
January. ^ Captain Fumeaux have not already decided it, that New
Holland is no where totally divided by the fea into iflands,
as fome have imagined
As the New Hollanders feem all to be of the fame extrac-
tion, fo neither do I think there is any thing peculiar in
them. On the contrary, they much refemble many of the
inhabitants whom I have feen at the iflands Tanna and
Mallicolla. Nay, there is even fome foundation for hazard-
ing a fuppofition, that they may have originally come from
the fame place with all the inhabitants of the South Sea.
For, of only about ten words which we could get from them,
that which exprelTes cold^ differs little from that of New
Zealand and Otaheite ; the firfl being Mallareede^ the fecond
Makkareede^ and the third Mareede. The refl: of our very
fcanty Van Diemen’s Land Vocabulary is as follows :
Quadne,
A woman.
Everai,
T^he eye.
Muidje,
"The nofe.
Kamy,
I’he teeth^ mouthy or tongue.
Laerenne,
A fmall bird^ a native of the woods here.
Koygee,
I’he ear.
Noonga,
Elevated fears on the body.
Teegera,
7b eat.
Togarago,
I muft be gone^ or, I will go.
Their pronunciation is not difagreeable, but rather quick ;
though not more fo than is that of other nations of the
South Sea ; and, if we may depend upon the affinity of lan-
* Dampier feetns to be of this opinion. Vol. iii. p. 104. 125.
guages
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THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
guages as a clue to guide us in difcovering the origin of
nations, I have no doubt but we fliall find, on a diligent
inquiry, and when opportunities offer to collect accurately
a fufhcient number of thefe words, and to compare them,
that all the people from New Holland, Eaflward to Eafter
Illand, have been derived from the fame common root
* We find Mr. Anderfon’s notions on this fubje£l conformable to thofe of Mr.
Marfden, who has remarked, “ that one general language prevailed (however mutilated
“ and changed in the courfe of time) throughout all this portion of the world, from
“ Madagafcar to the moft diftant difcoveries Eaftward ; of which the Malay is a dialedl,
“ much corrupted or refined by a mixture of other tongues. This very extenfive fimi-
“ larity of language indicates a common origin of the inhabitants ; but the circumftances
“ and progrefs of their feparation are wrapped in the darkeft veil of obfcurity.” Hi/iory
of Sumatra^ p. 35.
See alfo his very curious paper, read before the Society of Antiquaries, and publiflied
in their Archaologia^ Vol. vi. p. 155 ; where his fentiments on this fubjedl are explained
more at large, and illuftrated by two Tables of correfponding Words.
II7
1777*
January.
C 11 A P.
A VOYAGE TO
ii8
CHAP. VII.
^he Pajfage from Van T>iemerCs Land to New Zealand. —
Employments in ^een Charlotte's Sound. — L'ranfaBions
with the Natives there. — Intelligence about the Mafacre
of the Adventure'’s Boat's Crew. — Account of the Chief who
headed the Party on that Occafion. — Of the tzvo young
Men who embark to attend Omai. — Various Remarks
on the Inhabitants. — Afronomical and Nautical Obfer-
vations.
1777- A T eight o’clock in the morning of the 30th of January,
1 - — jTjL a light breeze fpringing up at Weft, we weighed an-
Thurfday 30. chor, and put to fea from Adventure Bay. Soon after, the
wind veered to the Southward, and increafed to a perfedt
ftorm. Its fury abated in the evening, when it veered to
the Eaft and North Eaft.
This gale was indicated by the barometer, for the wind
no fooner began to blow, than the mercury in the tube
began to fall. Another remarkable thing attended the
coming on of this wind, which was very faint at firft. It
brought with it a degree of heat that was almoft intolerable.
The mercury in the thermometer rofe, as it were inftanta-
neoully, from about 70° to near 90°. This heat was of fo
fliort a continuance, that it feemed to be wafted away be-
fore the breeze that brought it ; fo that fome on board did
not perceive it.
We
THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 119
We purfued our courfe to the Eaftward, without meeting 1777.
with any thing worthy of note, till the night between the .
6th and 7th of February, when a marine belonging to the Friday 7.
Difcovery fell over-board, and was never feen afterward.
This was the fecond misfortune of the kind that had hap-
pened to Captain Clerke fince he left England.
On the loth, at four in the afternoon, we difcovered the Monday 10.
land of New Zealand. The part we faw proved to be Rock’s
Point, and bore South Eaft by South, about eight or nine
leagues diftant. During this run from Van Diemen’s Land,
the wind, for the firft four or five days, was at North Eaft,
North, and North North Weft, and blew, for the moft part,
a gentle breeze. It afterward veered to South Eaft, where
it remained twenty-four hours. It then came to Weft and
South Weft ; in which points it continued, with very little -
deviation, till we reached New Zealand.
After making the land, I fleered for Cape Farewell, which
at day -break, the next morning, bore South by W eft, diftant Tuefday 1 1
about four leagues. At eight o’clock, it bore South Weft
by South, about five leagues diftant ; and, in this fituation,
we had forty-five fathoms water over a fandy bottom. In
rounding the Cape we had fifty fathoms, and the fame fort
of bottom.
I now fleered for Stephens’s Ifland, which w'e came up
with at nine o’clock at night; and at ten, next morning, wednef. iz
anchored in our old ftation, in Queen Charlotte’s Sound
Unwilling to lofe any time, our operations commenced that
very afternoon, when we landed a number of empty water-
cafks, and began to clear a place where we might fet up
* See the Chart of Queen Charlotte’s Sound, in Hawkefworth’s Colledlion, Vol. ii.
P- 385-
the
£20
A VOYAGE TO
1777-
February.
V ;
Thurfday 13.
the two obfervatories, and tents for the reception of a guard,
and of fuch of our people whofe bulinefs might make it ne-
celTary for them to remain on lliore.
We had not been long at anchor before feveral canoes,
filled with natives, came along-fide of the Ihips ; but very
few of them would venture on board ; which appeared the
more extraordinary, as I was well known to them all. There
was one man in particular amongft them, whom I had
treated with remarkable kindnefs, during the whole of my
flay when I was laft here. Yet now, neither profelfions of
friendfliip, nor prefents, could prevail upon him to come
into the fliip. This fliynefs was to be accounted for only
upon this fuppofition, that they were apprehenfive we had
revifited their country, in order to revenge the death of
Captain Furneaux’s people. Seeing Omai on board my fliip
now, whom they muft have remembered to have feen on
board the Adventure when the melancholy affair hap-
pened, and whofe firlf converfation with them, as they
approached, generally turned on that fubjedl, they muft
be well affured that I was no longer a ftranger to it. I
thought it neceffary, therefore, to ufe every endeavour to
alfure them of the continuance of my friendfliip, and that
I fliould not difturb them on that account. I do not know
whether this had any weight with them ; but certain it is,
that they very foon laid afide aU manner of reftraint and
diftruft.
On the 13th we fet up two tents, one from each fliip ; on
the fame fpot where we had pitched them formerly. The
obfervatories were at the fame time ere61:ed ; and Meflfs.
King and Bayly began their operations immediately, to find
the rate of the time-keeper, and to make other obfervations.
The remainder of the empty water-cafks were alfo fent on
fliore,
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
I2I
Iliore, with the cooper to trim, and a fufficient number of ,777.
failors to fill them. Two men were appointed to brew .
fpruce beer ; and the carpenter and his crew were ordered
to cut wood. A boat, with a party of men, under the di-
rection of one of the mates, was fent to coUeCl grafs for our
cattle ; and the people that remained on board were em-
ployed in refitting the Ihip, and arranging the provifions.
In this manner we were all profitably bufied during our
ftay. For the protection of the party on fliore, I appointed
a guard of ten marines, and ordered arms for all the work-
men ; and Mr. King, and two or three petty officers, con-
ftantly remained with them. A boat was never fent to any
confiderable diftance from the fhips without being armed,
and under the direction of fuch officers as I could depend
upon, and who were well acquainted with the natives.
During my former vifits to this country, I had never taken
fome of thefe precautions ; nor were they, I firmly believe,
more necelfary now than they had been formerly. But after
the tragical fate of the Adventure’s boat’s crew in this
found, and of Captain Marion du Frefne, and of fome of
his people, in the Bay of Iffands it was impoffible totally
to diveft ourfelves of all apprehenfion of experiencing a
fimilar calamity.
If the natives entertained any fufpicion of our reveng-
ing thefe aCls of barbarity, they very foon laid it afide.
For, during the courfe of this day, a great number of fa-
milies came from different parts of the coaft, and took up
their refidence clofe to us ; fo that there was not a fpot
in the cove where a hut could be put up, that was not
occupied by them, except the place where we had fixed
* In 1772.
VoL. I.
R
our
122
A VOYAGE TO
1777. our little encampment. This they left us in quiet poffef-
^ February. ^ they camc and took away the ruins of fome
old huts that were there, as materials for their new erec-
tions.
It is curious to obferve with what facility they build thefe
occahonal places of abode. I have feen above twenty of
them ere6led on a fpot of ground, that, not an hour before,
was covered with flirubs and plants. They generally bring
fome part of the materials with them ; the reft they find
upon the premifes. I was prefent when a number of people
landed, and built one of thefe villages. The moment the
canoes reached the fhore, the men leaped out, and at once
took poflelfion of a piece of ground, by tearing up the plants
and Ihrubs, or fticking up fome part of the framing of a
hut. They then returned to their canoes, and fecured their
weapons, by fetting them up againft a tree, or placing them
in fuch a pofition, that they could be laid hold of in an in-
ftant. I took particular notice that no one negle(5ted this
precaution. While the men were employed in raifing the
huts, the women were not idle. Some were ftationed to
take care of the canoes ; others to fecure the provifions,
and the few utenfils in their poflTelfion ; and the reft went
to gather dry fticks, that a fire might be prepared for dref-
fing their victuals. As to the children, I kept them, as
alfo fome of the more aged, fufficiently occupied in fcramb-
ling for beads, tiU I had emptied my pockets, and then I
left them.
Thefe temporary habitations are abundantly fufficient to
afford fhelter from the wind and rain, which is the only
purpofe they are meant to anfwer. I obferved that, gene-
rally, if not always, the fame tribe or family, though it
were ever fo large, aflbciated and built together ; fo that
we
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
we frequently faw a village, as well as their larger towns,
divided into different diftri6ts, by low pallifades, or fome
fimilar mode of reparation.
The advantage we received from the natives coming to
live with us, was not inconfiderable. For, every day, when
the weather would permit, fome of them went out to
catch fifli ; and we generally got, by exchanges, a good
diare of the prodiTce of their labours. This fupply, and
what our own nets and lines afforded us, was fo ample,
that we feldom were in want of fifli. Nor was there any
deficiency of other refrefliments. Celery, fcurvy-grafs,
and portable foup were boiled with the peafe and wheat,
for both fhips companies, every day during our whole
ftay ; and they had fpruce-beer for their drink. So that,
if any of our people had contradfed the feeds of the fcurvy,
fuch a regimen foon removed them. But the truth is,
when we arrived here, there were only two invalids (and
thefe on board the Refolution) upon the lick lifts in both
Blips.
Belides the natives who took up their abode clofe to us,
we were occafionally vifited by others of them, whofe refi-
dence was not far off ; and by fome who lived more remote.
Their articles of commerce were, curiofities, fiBi, and wo-
men. The two firfl always came to a good market ; which
the latter did not. The feamen had taken a kind of dillike
to thefe people ; and were either unwilling, or afraid, to
alfociate with them ; which produced this good effedf, that
I knew no inlfance of a man’s quitting his Ration, to go to
their habitations.
A conne6lion with women I allow, becaufe I cannot pre-
vent it ; but never encourage, becaufe I always dread its
confequences. I know, indeed, that many men are of opi-
R 2 nion,
123
1777-
February.
— .y
124
A VOYAGE TO
T777. nion, that fuch an intercourfe is one of our great efl fecurities
^ February.^ amongft favages ; and perhaps they who, either from ne-
ceffity or choice, are to remain and fettle with them, may
find it fo. But with travellers and tranfient vifiters, fuch as
we were, it is generally otherwife ; and, in our fituation, a
connection with their women betrays more men than it
faves. What elfe can be reafonably expeCted, fince all their
views are felfifli, without the leaft mixture of regard or at-
tachment ? My own experience, at leaft, which hath been
pretty extenfive, hath not pointed out to me one inftance to
the contrary.
Amongft our occafional vifiters, was a chief named Ka-
hoora, who, as I was informed, headed the party that cut
off Captain Furneaux’s people, and himfelf killed Mr. Rowe,
the officer who commanded. To judge of the character of
Kahoora, by what I heard from many of his countrymen,
he feemed to be more feared than beloved amongft them.
Not fatisfied with telling me that he was a very bad man,
fome of them even importuned me to kiU him : and, I be-
lieve, they were not a little furprifed that I did not liften to
them ; for, according to their ideas of equity, this ought to
have been done. But if I had followed the advice of all
our pretended friends, I might have extirpated the whole
race ; for the people of each hamlet or village, by turns,
applied to me to deftroy the other. One would have al-
moft thought it impoffible, that fo flriking a proof of the
divided Rate in which this miferable people live, could
have been affigned. And yet I was fure that 1 did not
mifconceive the meaning of thofe who made thefe firange
applications to me ; for Omai, whofe language was a dialed
of their own, and perfectly underftood all that they faid,
was our interpreter.
On
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
125
On the 15th, I made an excurfion in my boat to look for
grafs, and vilited the Hippah, or fortified village at the
South Weft point of Motuara, and the places where our
gardens had been planted on that illand. There were no
people at the former ; but the houfes and pallifades had
been rebuilt, and were now in a ftate of good repair ; and
there were other evident marks of its having been inha-
bited not long before. It would be unneceflTary, at prefent,
to give a particular account of this Hippah, fufficient notice
having been taken of it in the Account of my firft Voyage,
to which I refer '-i'' ; and to the annexed drawing, which re-
prefents part of the infide of the village, and will convey a
better idea of it, than any written defcription.
When the Adventure arrived firft at Queen Charlotte’s
Sound, in 1773 t, Mr. Bayly fixed upon this place for mak-
ing his obfervations ; and he, and the people with him, at
their leifure hours, planted feveral fpots with Englifh gar-
den feeds. Not the leaft veftige of thefe now remained. It
is probable that they had been all rooted out to make room
for buildings, when the village was reinhabited : for, at all
the other gardens then planted by Captain Furneaux, al-
though now wholly over-run with the weeds of the coun-
try, we found cabbages, onions, leeks, purflain, radifhes,
muftard. See. and a few potatoes. Thefe potatoes, which
were firft brought from the Cape of Good Hope, had been
greatly improved by change of foil ; and, with proper cul-
tivation, would be fuperior to thofe produced in moft other
countries. Though the New Zealanders are fond of this
root, it was evident that they had not taken the trouble to
plant a fingle one (much lefs any other of the articles which
* Hawkefworth’s CollecTtion, Vol. ii. p. 395, &c.
t Cook’s Voyage, Vol. i. p. 120.
we
1777-
February.
' f
Saturday 15.
126
A VOYAGE TO
1777.
February.
\ mJ
Sunday 16.
we had introduced) ; and if it were not for the difficulty of
clearing ground where potatoes had been once planted,
there would not have been any now remaining.
On the 1 6th, at day-break, I fet out with a party of men,
in five boats, to coUeft food for our cattle. Captain Clerke,
and feveral of the officers, Omai, and two of the natives,
accompanied me. We proceeded about three leagues up
the found, and then landed on the Eafi: fide, at a place
where I had formerly been. Here we cut as much grafs as
loaded the two launches.
As we returned down the found, we vifited Grafs Cove,
the memorable fcene of the Malfacre of Captain Furneaux’s
people. Here I met with my old friend Pedro, who was
almoft continually with me the lafi: time I was in this found,
and is mentioned in my Hiftory of that Voyage He, and
another of his countrymen, received us on the beach,
armed with the pa-too and fpear. Whether this form of
reception was a mark of their courtefy or of their fear, I
cannot fay ; but 1 thought they betrayed manifeft figns of
the latter. However, if they had any apprehenfions, a few
prefents foon removed them, and brought down to the
beach two or three more of the family ; but the greatefl:
part of them remained out of fight.
Whilft we were at this place, our curiofity prompted us to
inquire into the circumftances attending the melancholy
fate of our countrymen ; and Omai was made ufe of as our
interpreter for this purpofe. Pedro, and the reft of the na-
tives prefent, anfwered all the queftions that were put to
them on the fubjecft, without referve, and like men who
are under no dread of puniffiment for a crime of which
they are not guilty. For we already knew that none of
* Captain Cook’s Voyage, Vol. ii. p. 158, 159.
them
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
them had been concerned in the unhappy tranfa6Iion. They
told us, that while our people were fitting at dinner, fur-
rounded by feveral of the natives, fome of the latter ftole, or
fnatched from them, fome bread and fifli, for which they
were beat. This being refented, a quarrel enfued, and two
New Zealanders were fliot dead, by the only two mufquets
that w^ere fired. For before our people had time to dif-
charge a third, or to load again thofe that had been fired,
the natives ruflied in upon them, overpow^ered them with
their numbers, and put them all to death. Pedro and his
companions, befides relating the hiftory of the maflacre,
made us acquainted with the very fpot that was the fcene of
it. It is at the corner of the cove on the right-hand. They
pointed to the place of the fun, to mark to us at what hour
of the day it happened ; .and, according to this, it mufi: have
been late in the afternoon. They alfo fliewed us the place
where the boat lay ; and it appeared to be about two hun-
dred yards diftant from that where the crew were feated.
One of their number, a black fervant of Captain Furneaux,
was left in the boat to take care of her.
We were afterward told that this black was the caufe of
the quarrel, which was faid to have happened thus : One of
the natives healing fomething out of the boat, the Negro
gave him a fevere blow with a ftick. The cries of the fel-
low being heard by his countrymen at a difiance, they
imagined he was killed, and immediately began the attack
on our people ; who, before they had time to reach the
boat, or to arm themfelves againfi the unexpedfed im-
pending danger, fell a facrifice to the fury of their favage
aflTailants.
The firfi of thefe accounts, was confirmed by the tefii-
mony of many of the natives, whom we converfed with, at
different
127
1777-
February.
’ '
128
A VOYAGE TO
1777-
February.
<
different times, and who, I think, could have no intereft
j in deceiving us. The fecond manner of relating the tranf-
adlion, refts upon the authority of the young New Zealan-
der, who chofe to abandon his country and go away with
us, and who, confequently, could have no poflible view in
difguiling the truth. All agreeing that the quarrel hap-
pened when the boat’s crew were fitting at their meal, it is
highly probable that both accounts are true, as they per-
fedlly coincide. For we may very naturally fuppofe, that
while fome of the natives were healing from the man who
had been left in the boat, others of them might take the
fame liberties with the property of our people who were
on fliore.
Be this as it will, all agree, that the quarrel firft took its
rife from fome thefts, in the commiffion of which the na-
tives were dete6f:ed. All agree, alfo, that there was no pre-
meditated plan of bloodflied, and that, if thefe thefts had
not been, unfortunately, too haflily refented, no mifchief
would have happened. For Kahoora’s greateft enemies,
thofe who folicited his deftrudfion mod: earneftly, at the
fame time confeffed that he had no intention to quarrel,
much lefs to kill, till the fray had actually commenced. It
allb appears that the unhappy victims were under no fort of
apprehenfion of their fate ; otherwife they never would
have ventured to fit down to a repaft at fo confiderable a
diflance from their boat, amongft people who were the
next moment to be their murderers. What became of the
boat I never could learn. Some faid flie was pulled to
pieces and burnt ; others told us that fhe was carried, they
knew not whither, by a party of ftrangers.
We flayed here till the evening, when, having loaded
the reft of the boats with grafs, celery, fcurvy-grafs, &:c.
we
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
129
■\ve embarked to return to the fliips. We had prevailed
upon Pedro to launch his canoe, and accompany us ; but
we had fcarcely put off from the fliore, when the wind
began to blow very hard at North Weft, which obliged
him to put back. We proceeded ourfelves, but it was with
a good deal of difficulty that we could reach the fliips ;
where fome of the boats did not arrive till one o’clock
the next morning ; and it was fortunate that they got on
board then, for it afterward blew a perfect ftorm, with
abundance of rain, fo that no manner of work could go
forward that day. In the evening the gale ceafed, and
the wind having veered to the Eaft, brought with it fair
w’eather.
The next day we refumed our works ; the natives ven-
tured out to catch fifh ; and Pedro, with all his family, came
and took up his abode near us. This Chief’s proper name
is Matahouah ; the other being given him by fome of my
people during my laft Voyage, which I did not know till
now. He was, however, equally well known amongft his
countrymen by both names.
On the 20th, in the forenoon, we had another ftorm from
the North Weft. Though this was not of fo long continu-
ance as the former, the gufts of wind from the hills were
far more violent, infomuch that we were obliged to ftrike
the yards and top-mafts to the very utmoft ; and, even with
all this precaution, it was with difficulty that we rode it
out. Thefe ftorms are very frequent here, and fometimes
violent and troublefome. The neighbouring mountains,
which at thefe times are always loaded with vapours, not
only increafe the force of the wind, but alter its direction in
fuch a manner, that no two blafts follow each other from
the fame quarter ; and the nearer the fliore, the more their
effecfts are felt.
VoL. I. S ' The
1777-
February.
Monday 17.
Tuefday 18.
Thurfday zo.
130
A VOYAGE TO
1777. The next day we were vifited by a tribe or family, con-
. lifting of about thirty perfons, men, women, and children,
who came from the upper part of the Sound. I had never
feen them before. The name of their Chief was Toma-
tongeauooranuc ; a man of about forty-five years of age,
with a cheerful open countenance. And, indeed, the reft
of his tribe were, in general, the handfomeft of the New
Zealand race I had ever met with.
By this time more than two-thirds of the inhabitants of
the Sound had fettled themfelves about us. Great num-
bers of them daily frequented the fhips, and the encamp-
ment on 111 ore : but the latter became, by far, the moft
favourite place of refort, while our people there were
melting fome feal blubber. No Greenlander was ever
fonder of train-oil, than our friends here feemed to be.
They reliflied the very ikimmings of the kettle, and dregs
of the cafks ; but a little of the pure ftinking oil was a
delicious feaft, fo eagerly defired, that I fuppofe it is fel-
dom enjoyed.
Having got on board as much hay and grafts as we
judged fufficient to ferve the cattle till our arrival at Ota-
heite, and having completed the wood and water of both
Sunday 23. ftlips, on the 23d we ftruck our tents, and carried every
Monday 24. thing off from the fhore ; and next morning we weighed
anchor, and ftood out of the Cove. But the wind not being
very fair, and finding that the tide of ebb would be fpent
before we could get out of the Sound, we caft anchor again
a little without the ifland Motuara, to wait for a more fa-
vourable opportunity of putting into the ftrait.
While we were unmooring and getting under fail, To-
matongeauooranuc, Matahouah, and many more of the
natives, came to take their leave of us, or rather to obtain,
if they could, fome additional prefents from us before we
left
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
' left them. Thefe two Chiefs became fuitors to me for fome
goats and hogs. Accordingly, I gave to Matahouah two
goats, a male and female with kid ; and to Tomaton-
geauooranuc two pigs, a boar and a fow. They made me
a promife not to kill them ; though I muft own I put no
great faith in this. The animals which Captain Furneaux
fent on fliore here, and which foon after feU into the hands
of the natives, I was now told were all dead ; but I could
get no intelligence about the fate of thofe I had left in
Weft Bay, and in Cannibal Cove, when I w^as here in the
courfe of my laft Voyage. However, all the natives, whom
I converfed with, agreed, that poultry are now to be met
with wild in the woods behind Ship Cove ; and I was after-
ward informed, by the two youths who went away with us,
that Tiratou, a popular Chief amongft them, had a great
many cocks and hens in his feparate pofleflion, and one of
the fows.
On my prefent arrival at this place, I fuUy intended to
have left not only goats and hogs, but flieep, and a young-
bull, wnth two heifers, if I could have found either a Chief
powerful enough to protect and keep them, or a place
where there might be a probability of their being concealed
from thofe who would ignorantly attempt to deftroy them.
But neither the one nor the other prefented itfelf to me.
Tiratou was now abfent ; and Tringoboohee, whom I had
met wdth during my laft Voyage and who feemed to be a
perfon of much confequence at that time, had been killed
five months ago, with about feventy perfons of his tribe ;
and I could not learn that there now remained in our
neighbourhood any tribe, whofe numbers could fecure to
131
1777*
February.
* See Cook’s Voyage, Vol. il. p. 157.
S 2
them
132
A VOYAGE TO
1777-
F ebruary,
' '
Tuefday 25.
them a fuperiority of power over the reft of their country-
men. To have given the animals to any of the natives who
poflefled no fuch power, would not have anfwered the in-
tention. For in a country like this, where no man’s pro-
perty is fecure, they would foon have fallen a prey to dif-
ferent parties, and been either feparated or killed ; but moft
likely both. This was fo evident, from what we had ob-
ferved ftnce our arrival, that I had refolved to leave no kind
of animal, till Matahouah and the other Chief folicited me
for the hogs and goats. As I could fpare them, I let them
go, to take their chance. I have, at different times, left in
New Zealand, not lefs than ten or a dozen hogs, befides
thofe put on fhore by Captain Furneaux. It will be a
little extraordinary, therefore, if this race Ihould not in-
creafe and be preferved here, either in a wild or in a do-
meftic ftate, or in both.
We had not been long at anchor near Motuara, before
three or four canoes, fiUed with natives, came off to us from
the South Eaft fide of the Sound ; and a brifk trade was car-
ried on with them for the curiofities of this place. In one
of thefe canoes was Kahoora, whom I have already men-
tioned as the leader of the party who cut off the crew of the
Adventure’s boat. This was the third time he had vifited
us, without betraying the fmalleft appearance of fear. I
was afhore when he now arrived, but had got on board juft
as he was going away. Omai, who had returned with me,
prefently pointed him out, and folicited me to fhoot him.
Not fatisfied with this, he addreffed himfelf to Kahoora,
threatening to be his executioner, if ever he prefumed to
viftt us again.
The New Zealander paid fo little regard to thefe threats,
that he returned, the next morning, with his whole family,
men,
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
133
men, women, and children, to the number of twenty and 1777.
upward. Omai was the firft who acquainted me with his
being along-fide the fliip, and defired to know if he fhould
alk him to come on board. I told him he might ; and ac-
cordingly he introduced the Chief into the cabin, faying,
“ There is Kahoora, kill him !” But, as if he had forgot
his former threats, or were afraid that I fhould call upon
him to perform them, he immediately retired. In a fliort
time, however, he returned ; and feeing the Chief unhurt,
he expoftulated with me very earneftly, faying, “ Why do
“ you not kill him ? Y ou tell me, if a man kills another in
“ England, that he is hanged for it. This man has killed
“ ten, and yet you will not kill him ; though many of his
‘‘ countrymen dehre it, and it would be very good.” Omai’s
arguments, though fpecious enough, having no weight
with me, I delired him to aflc the Chief, why he had killed
Captain Furneaux’s people ? At this queftion, Kahoora fold-
ed his arms, hung down his head, and looked like one
caught in a trap : And, I firmly believe, he expected inftant
death. But no fooner was he alTured of his fafety, than he
became cheerful. He did not, however, feem willing to
give me an anfwer to the queftion that had been put to
him, till I had, again and again, repeated my promife tha.t
he fliould not be hurt. Then he ventured to tell us. That
one of his countrymen having brought a ftone hatchet to
barter, the man, to whom it was offered, took it, and would
neither return it, nor give any thing for it ; on which the
owner of it fnatched up the bread as an equivalent; and
then the quarrel began.
The remainder of Kahoora^s account of this unhappy af-
fair, differed very little from what we had before learnt,
from the reft of his countrymen. He mentioned the nar-
row
T34
A VOYAGE TO
1777. row efcape he had, during the fray; a mufquet being le-
february.^ Veiled at him, which he avoided by Ikulking behind the
boat ; and another man, who ftood clofe to him, was fliot
dead. As foon as the mufquet was difcharged, he inftantly
feized the opportunity to attack Mr. Rowe, who command-
ed the party, and who defended himfelf with his hanger
(with which he wounded Kahoora in the arm), till he was
overpowered by numbers.
Mr. Burney, who was fent by Captain Furneaux the next
day -iq with an armed party, to look for his miffing people,
upon difcovering the horrid proofs of their ffiocking fate,
had fired feveral vollies amongft the crowds of natives
who ftill remained affembled on the fpot, and were, pro-
bably, partaking of the deteftable banquet. It was na-
tural to fuppofe that he had not fired in vain ; and that,
therefore, fome of the murderers and devourers of our
unhappy countrymen had fuffered under our juft refent-
ment. Upon inquiry, however, into this matter, not
only from Kahoora, but from others who had opportuni-
ties of knowing, it appeared that our fuppofition was
groundlefs, and that not one of the ffiot fired by Mr. Bur-
ney’s people had taken efte<ft, fo as to kill, or even to hurt,
a fingle perfon.
It was evident, that moft of the natives we had met with
fince our arrival, as they knew I was fully acquainted with
the hiftory of the malfacre, expe6led I ffiould avenge it
with the death of Kahoora. And many of them feemed
not only to wiffi it, but exprefled their furprize at my for-
bearance. As he could not be ignorant of this, it was a
matter of wonder to me, that he put himfelf fo often in my
* See his Narrative. Cook’s Voyage, Vol. ii. p. 255 — 259.
power.
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
135
power. When he vifited ns while the fhips lay in the
Cove, confiding in the number of his friends that accom-
panied him, he might think himfelf fafe. But his two
lafi; vifits had been made under fuch circumftances, that
he could no longer rely upon this. We were then at an-
chor in the entrance of the Sound, and at fome diftance
from any fhore ; fo that he could not have any afliftance
from thence, nor flatter himfelf he could have the means
of making his efcape, had I determined to detain him.
And yet, after his firfl: fears, on being interrogated, were
over, he was fo far from entertaining any uneafy fenfations,
that, on feeing a portrait of one of his countrymen hang-
ing up in the cabbin, he defired to have his own portrait
drawn; and fat till Mr. Webber had finiflied it, without
marking the leafl impatience. I muft confefs, I admired
his courage, and was not a little pleafed to obferve the ex-
tent of the confidence he put in me. For he placed his
whole fafety in the declarations I had uniformly made to
thofe who folicited his death. That I had always been a
friend to them all, and would continue fo, unlefs they gave
me caufe to adt otherwife : that as to their inhuman treat-
ment of our people, I fhould think no more of it, the tranf-
adtion having happened long ago, and when I was not
prefent; but that, if ever they made a fecond attempt of
that kind, they might reft aflured of feeling the weight of
my refentment.
For fome time before we arrived at New Zealand, Omai
had exprelfed a defire to take one of the natives with him
to his own country. We had not been there many days,
before he had an opportunity of being gratified in this ;
for a youth about feventeen or eighteen years of age,
named Taweiharooa, offered to accompany him ; and took
up
1777.
February.
136
A VOYAGE TO
1777. up his refidence on board. I paid little attention to this
February. ^ firll, imagining that he would leave us when we were
about to depart, and after he had got what he could from
Omai. At length, finding that he was fixed in his refolu-
tion to go with us, and having learnt that he was the only
foil of a deceafed Chief, and that his mother, flill living,
was a woman much refpedted here, I was apprehenfive that
Omai had deceived him and his friends, by giving them
hopes and affurances of his being fent back. I therefore
caufed it to be made known to them all, that if the young
man went away with us, he would never return. But this
declaration feemed to make no fort of impreffion. The af-
ternoon before we left the Cove, Tiratoutou, his mother,
came on board, to receive her laft prefent from Omai. The
fame evening, flie and Taweiharooa parted, with all the
marks of tender affedtion that might be expected between a
parent and a child, who were never to meet again. But
file faid flie would cry no more ; and, fure enough, flie kept
her word. For when die returned the next morning, to
take her laft farewell of him, all the time flie was on board
file remained quite cheerful, and went away wholly un-
concerned.
That Taweiharooa might be fent away in a manner be-
coming his birth, another youth was to have gone with him
as his fervant ; and, with this view, as we fuppofed, he
remained on board till we were about to fail, when his
friends took him afliore. However, his place was fupplied,
next morning, by another, a boy of about nine or ten
years of age, named Kokoa. He was prefented to me by
his own father, who, I believe, would have parted with his
dog with far lefs indifference. The very little clothing the
boy had, he ftript him of, and left him as naked as he was
born.
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
137
born. It was to no purpofe that I endeavoured to con- 1777.
vince thefe people of the improbability, or rather of the
impoflibiUty, of thefe youths ever returning home. Not
one, not even their neareft relations, feemed to trouble
themfelves about their future fate. Since this was the cafe,
and I was well fatisfied that the boys would be no lofers
by exchange of place, I the more readily gave my confent
to their going.
From my own obfervations, and from the information
of Taweiharooa and others, it appears to me that the New
Zealanders muft live under perpetual apprehenlions of be-
ing deftroyed by each other; there being few of their tribes
that have not, as they think, fuftained wrongs from fome
other tribe, which they are continually upon the watch to
revenge. And, perhaps, the delire of a good meal may be
no fmall incitement. I am told that many years will fome-
times elapfe, before a favourable opportunity happens, and
that the fon never lofes light of an injury that has been
done to his father. Their method of executing their hor-
rible deligns, is by Healing upon the adverfe party in the
night ; and if they find them unguarded (which, however,
I believe, is very feldom the cafe), they kill every one indif-
criminately ; not even fparing the women and children.
When the maflacre is completed, they either feaft and gorge
themfelves on the fpot, or carry olF as many of the dead
bodies as they can, and devour them at home, with adls of
brutality too fhocking to be defcribed. If they are difco-
vered before they can execute their bloody purpofe, they
generally fteal olF again ; and fometimes are purfued and
attacked by the other party, in their turn. To give quarter,
or to take prifoners, makes no part of their military law ;
fo that the vanquillied can only fave their lives by flight.
VoL. I. T This
A VOYAGE TO
138
1777. This perpetual ftate of war, and deftru6tive method of con-
February,^ duding it, Operates fo hrongly in producing habitual cir-
cumfpeflion, that one hardly ever finds a New Zealander
off his guard, either by night or by day. Indeed, no other
man can have fuch powerful motives to be vigilant, as the
prefervation both of body and of foul depends upon it.
For, according to their fyftem of belief, the foul of the man
whole flefli is devoured by the enemy, is doomed to a per-
petual fire, while the foul of the man whofe body has been
refcued from thofe who killed him, as well as the fouls of
all who die a natural death, afcend to the habitations of the
Gods. I afked. Whether they eat the flefli of fuch of their
friends as had been killed in -war, but whofe bodies were
faved from falling into the enemy’s hands ? They feemed
furprized at the queftion, which they anfwered in the ne-
gative, exprefling fome abhorrence at the very idea. Their
common method of difpofing of their dead, is by depoflt-
ing their bodies in the earth ; but if they have more of
their flaughtered enemies than they can eat, they throw
them into the fea.
They have no fuch thing as morais, or other places of
public worfliip; nor do they ever alTemble together with
this view. But they have Priefts, who alone addrefs the
Gods in prayers, for the profperity of their temporal af-
fairs ; fuch as an enterprife againfl; a hoflile tribe, a filhing
party, or the like.
Whatever the principles of their religion may be, of
which we remain very ignorant, its infl;ru6tions are very
ftrongly inculcated into them from their very infancy.
Of this I faw a remarkable inftance, in the youth who
was firfl: deftined to accompany Taweiharooa. He re-
frained from eating the greatefl part of the day, on ac-
count
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
count of his hair being cut ; though every method was
tried to induce him to break his refolution; and he was
tempted with the offer of fuch victuals as he was known to
efteem the moft. He faid, if he eat any thing that day, the
Eatooa would kill him. However, toward evening, the
cravings of nature got the better of the precepts of his
religion, and he eat, though but fparingly. I had often
conjectured, before this, that they had fome fuperflitious
notions about their hair, having frequently obferved quan-
tities of it tied to the branches of trees near fome of their
habitations ; but what thefe notions are, I never could
learn.
Notwithftanding the divided and hoflile flate in which
the New Zealanders live, travelling ftrangers, who come
with no ill delign, are well received and entertained during
their flay ; which, however, it is expeCted, wiU be no
longer than is requifite to tranfaCl the bulinefs they come
upon. Thus it is that a trade for poenammoo^ or green
talc, is carried on throughout the whole northern illand.
For they tell us, that there is none of this ftone to be
found, but at a place which bears its name, fomewhere about
the head of Queen Charlotte’s Sound, and not above one
or two days journey, at moft, from the ftation of our fhips.
I regretted much that I could not fpare time fufficient for
paying a vifit to the place ; as we were told a hundred fa-
bulous ftories about this ftone, not one of which carried
with it the leaft probability of truth, though fome of
their moft fenlible men would have us believe them. One
of thefe ftories is, that this ftone is originally a fifli, which
they ftrike with a gig in the water, tie a rope to it, and
drag it to the fhore, to which they faften it, and it after-
ward becomes ftone. As they aU agree, that it is fiflied
T z out
139
1777-
February.
140
A VOYAGE TO
1777.
February.
out of a large lake, or colle(51:ion of waters, the moft pro-
bable conjecture is, that it is brought from the mountains,
and depofited in the water, by the torrents. This lake is
called by the natives ‘Tavai Poenammoo ; that is, the water of
Green Talc; and it is only the adjoining part of the coun-
try, and not the whole Southern illand of New Zealand,
that is known to them by the name which hath been given
to it on my chart
Polygamy is allowed amongft thefe people ; and it is not
uncommon for a man to have two or three wives. The
women are marriageable at a very early age ; and it fliould
feem, that one who is unmarried, is but in a forlorn hate.
She can with difficulty get a fubffitence ; at lead:, ffie is, in
a great meafure, without a proteCtor, though in conftant
want of a powerful one.
The New Zealanders feem to be a people perfectly fatif-
fied with the little knowledge they are mailers of, without
attempting, in the lead, to improve it. Nor are they re-
markably curious, either in their obfervations, or their in-
quiries. New objects do not itrike them with fuch a degree
of furprize as one would naturally expeCt; nor do they
even fix their attention for a moment. Omai, indeed, who
was a great favourite with them, would fometimes attraCl
a circle about him ; but they feemed to liilen to his fpeeches,
like perfons who neither underilood, nor wiflied to under-
hand, what they heard.
One day, on our enquiring of Taweiharooa, how many
lliips, fuch as ours, had ever arrived in Queen Charlotte’s
Sound, or in any part of its neighbourhood.? he began with
giving an account of one abfolutely unknown to us. This, he
* See Captain Cook’s chart of New Zealand, in Hawkef. Coll. vol. ii. p. 281.
faid,
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
faid, had put into a port on the North Weft coaft of Teera-
witte, but a very few years before I arrived in the Sound in
the Endeavour, which the New Zealanders diftinguifli, by
calling it Tupia’s fliip. At firft, I thought he might have
been miftaken as to the time and place ; and that the lliip in
queftion might be either Monfteur Surville’s, who is faid to
have touched upon the North Eaft coaft of Eaheinomauwe,
the fame year I was there in the Endeavour; or elfe Monfteur
Marion du Frefne’s, who was in the Bay of Iflands, on the
lame coaft, a few years after. But he alfured us, that he
was not miftaken, either as to the time, or as to the place
of this fhip’s arrival ; and that it was well known to every
body about Queen Charlotte’s Sound and Teerawitte. He
faid, that the Captain of her, during his ftay here, coha-
bited with a woman of the country ; and that fhe had a fon
by him ftill living, and about the age of Kokoa; who,
though not born then, feemed to be equally well acquaint-
ed with the ftory. We were alfo informed by Taweiharooa,
that this ftiip firft introduced the venereal difeafe amongft
the New Zealanders. I wifli that fubfequent viftters from
Europe may not have their fliare of guilt, in leaving fo
dreadful a remembrance of them amongft this unhappy
race. The diforder now is but too common here; though
they do not feem to regard it ; faying, that its effedls are
not near fo pernicious at prefent, as they were at its firft
appearance. The only method, as far as I ever heard, that
they make ufe of as a remedy, is by giving the patient the
life of a fort of hot bath, which they produce by the fleam
of certain green plants laid over hot ftones.
I regretted much that we did not hear of this fliip while
we were in the Sound ; as, by means of Omai, we might
have had full and corre<ft information about her from eye-
witneffes.
141
1777-
February.
^ I — t** 1.^
J42
A VOYAGE TO
1777- witnefles. For Taweiharooa’s account was only from wliat
tebru^y. ^ bccn told, and therefore liable to many milfakes.
I have not the lead; doubt, however, that his teftimony may
fo far be depended upon, as to induce us to believe, that
a fliip really had been at Teerawitte prior to my arrival in
the Endeavour, as it correfponds with what I had formerly
heard. For in the latter end of 1773, the fecond time I
vidted New Zealand, during my late voyage, when we were
continually making inquiries about the Adventure, after
our feparation, fome of the natives informed its of a fliip’s
having heen in a port on the coaft of Teerawitte, But, at
that time, we thought we mulf have mifunderftood them,
and took no notice of the intelligence.
The arrival of this unknown fhip has been marked by
the New Zealanders with more caufes of remembrance
than the unhappy one juft mentioned. Taweiharooa told
us, their country was indebted to her people for the prefent
of an animal, which they left behind them. But as he had
not feen it himfelf, no fort of judgment could be form^
ed from his defcription, of what kind it was.
We had another piece of intelligence from him, more
corre(ftly given, though not confirmed by our own obferva-
tions, that there are fnakes and lizards there of an enor-
mous fize. He defcribed the latter as being eight feet in
length, and as big round as a man’s body. He faid, they
fometimes feize and devour men ; that they burrow in the
ground ; and that they are killed by making fires at the
mouths of the holes. We could not be miftaken as to the
animal ; for, with his own hand, he drew a very good re-
prefentation of a lizard on a piece of paper ; as alfo of a
fnake, in order to fliew what he meant.
Though much has been faid, in the Narratives of my
Two
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
Two former Voyages, about this country and its inhabi-
tants, Mr. Anderfon’s Remarks, as ferving either to confirm
or to corre(5l our former accounts, may not be fuperfluous.
He had been three times with me in Queen Charlotte’s
Sound, during my laft Voyage ; and, after this fourth vifit,
what he thought proper to record, may be confidered as the
refult of fufficient obfervation. The Reader will find it in
the next Chapter ; and I have nothing farther to add,^ be-
fore I quit New Zealand, but to give fome account of the
aftronomical and nautical obfervations made during our
ftay there.
The Longitude of the Obfervatory in Ship
Cove, by a mean of 103 fets of obferva-
tions, each fet confifting of fix or more
obferv^ed diftances, was - - - 174° 25^5^'' Eaft.
By the time-keeper, at Greenwich rate, it
was _ _ - _ _ _ 26 30
By ditto, at the Cape rate, it was - - 174 56 12
Variation of the compafs, being the mean
of fix needles, obferved on board the
fliip - - - - - -12400 Eaft.
By the fame needles on fliore, it was - 13 53 o
The dip of the South end, obferved on
fliore, was - - - - 63 42 o
By a mean of the refults of eleven days obfervations, the
time-keeper was too flow for mean time, on February 22 at
noon, by ii"' 50' 37^', 396; and flie was found to be lofing
on mean time, at the rate of 2"^,9i3 per day. From this rate
the longitude will be computed, till fome other opportunity
offers to afcertain her rate anew. The aftronomical clock,
with
143
1777.
February,
144
A VOYAGE TO
1777. with the fame length of pendulum as at Greenwich, was
February.^ fouiid to be lofing on lidereal time per day/
It will not be amifs to mention, that the longitude, by
lunar obfervations, as above, differs only 6' 45^^ from what
Mr. Wales made it during my laft Voyage ; his being fo
much more to the Weft, or 174° 18' 30''.
The latitude of Ship Cove is 41° 6' as found by Mr.
Wales.
CHAP.
CHAP. VIII.
Mr. AnderforCs Remarks on the Country near ^een Char-
lotte's Sound. — ’The Soil. — Climate. — Weather. — Winds. —
Trees. — Plants. — Birds. — Fijh. — Other Anbnals. — Of the
Inhabitants. — Defcription of their Perfons. — Their Drefs.—
Ornaments. — Habitations. — Boats. — Food and Cookery. —
Arts. — Weapons. — Cruelty to Prifoners. — Various Cujioms.
— Specimen of their Languag e.
HE land every where about Queen Charlotte’s Sound
A is uncommonly mountainous, riling immediately
from the fea into large hills with blunted tops. At conli-
derable diftances are valleys, or rather impreffions on the
lides of the hills, which are not deep ; each terminating
toward the fea in a fmall cove, with a pebbly or fandy
beach ; behind which are fmall flats, where the natives
generally build their huts, at the fame time hauling their
canoes upon the beaches. This lituation is the more
convenient, as in every cove a brook of very fine water
(in which are fome fmall trout) empties itfelf into the
fea.
The bafes of thefe mountains, at leaft toward the fliore,
are conftituted of a brittle, yellowiflr fand-flone, which ac-
quires a bluifli call, where the fea waflies it. It runs, at
fome places, in horizontal, and, at other places, in oblique
Jlrata ; being frequently divided, at fmall diftances, by thin
VoL. I. U veins
146
A VOYAGE TO
1777.
February.
veins of coarfe quartz^ which commonly follow the direc-
tion of the other ; though they fometimes interfeff it.
The mould, or foil, which covers this, is alfo of a yellowilh
caft, not unlike marl ; and is commonly from a foot to two,
or more, in thicknefs.
The quality of this foil is heft indicated by the luxu-
riant growth of its producftions. For the hills (except
a few toward the fea, which are covered with fmaller
bullies) are one continued foreft of lofty trees, flourilhing
with a vigour almoft fuperior to any thing that imagina-
tion can conceive, and affording an augufl profpecSl to thofe
who are delighted with the grand and beautiful works of
nature.
• The agreeable temperature of the climate, no doubt,
contributes much to this uncommon ftrength in vegetation.
For, at this time, though anfwering to our month of Au-
gufl, the weather was never difagreeably warm ; nor did
it raife the thermometer higher than 66°. The winter,
alfo, feems equally mild with refpedl to cold : for in June
1773? which correfponds to our December, the mercury
never fell lower than 48° ; and the trees, at that time, re-
tained their verdure, as if in the Summer feafon ; fo that,
I believe, their foliage is never fhed, till pufhed off by the
fucceeding leaves in fpring.
The weather, in general, is good ; but fometimes windy,
with heavy rain ; which, however, never lafls above a day ;
nor does it appear that it is ever exceffive. For there are
no marks of torrents rufliing down the hills, as in many
countries ; and the brooks, if we may judge from their
channels, feem never to be greatly increafed. I have ob-
ferved, in the four different times of my being here, that
the winds from the South Eaftward are commonly mode-
rate.
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
147
rate, but attended with cloudy weather, or rain. The South
Weft winds blow very ftrong, and are allb attended with
rain ; but they feldom laft long. The North Weft winds are
the moft prevailing ; and though often pretty ftrong, are
almoft conftantly connecSted with fine weather. In fliort,
the only obftacle to this being one of the fineft coun-
tries upon earth, is its great hillinefs ; which, allowing
the woods to be cleared away, would leave it lefs proper
for pafturage than flat land ; and ftill more improper for
cultivation, which could never be effedfed here by the
plough.
The large trees which cover the hills are chiefly of two
forts. One of them, of the fize of our largeft firs, grows
much after their manner; but the leaves, and fmall ber-
ries on their points, are mtich liker the yew. It was
this which fupplied the place of fpruce in making beer ;
which we did with a ftrong decodlion of its leaves, fer-
mented with treacle or fugar. And this liquor, when well
prepared, was acknowledged to be little inferior to the
American fpruce beer, by thofe who had experience of
both. The other fort of tree is not unlike a maple ; and
grows often to a great fize ; but it only ferved for fuel, as
the wood, both of .this and of the preceding, was found to
be rather too heavy for mafts, yards, and other fimilar re-
pairs.
There is a greater variety of trees on the fmall flat fpots
behind the beaches. Amongft thefe are two that bear a
kind of plum of the fize of prunes ; the one yellow, called
karraca ; and the other black, called maitao ; but neither of
them of a very agreeable tafte ; though the natives eat
both, and our people did the fame. Thofe of the firft fort
grow on fmall trees, always facing the fea ; but the others
U 2 belong
1777.
February.
A VOYAGE TO
148
1777- belong to larger trees that hand farther within the w'ood,
^February. ^ whicli wc frequently cut down for fuel.
A fpecies of Philadelphus grows on the eminences which
jut out into the fea ; and alfo a tree bearing flowers almoft
like myrtle, with roundidi fpotted leaves of a difagreeable
fmell. We drank the leaves of the Philadelphus as tea ; and
found that they had a pleafant tafte and fmell, and might
make an excellent fubftitute for the oriental fort
Among other plants that were ufeful to us, may be
reckoned wild celery, which grows plentifully in almoft
every cove ; efpecially if the natives have ever refided there
before ; and one that we ufed to call fcurvy-grafs, though
entirely different from the plant to which we give that
name. This, however, is far preferable to ours for com-
mon ufe ; and may be known by its jagged leaves, and
fmall clufters of white flowers on the top. Both forts were
boiled every morning, with wheat ground in a mill, and
with portable foup, for the people’s breakfaft ; and alfo
amongft their peafe-foup, for dinner. Sometimes they
were ufed as fallad, or drefled as greens. In all which ways
they are good ; and, together with the fifli, with which we
were conftantly fupplied, they formed a fort of refrefliment,
perhaps little inferior to what is to be met with in places
moft noted by navigators for plentiful fupplies of animal
and vegetable food.
Amongft the known kinds of plants met with here, are
common and rough bindweed ; night-fliade and nettles, both
which grow to the fize of fmall trees ; a flirubby fpeedwell,
found near all the beaches ; fow-thiftles, virgin’s bower,
* See a reprefentation of this, Plate N° XXII. in Captain Cook'i Account of his Second
Voyage^ Vol. i. p. lOO.
vanelloe,
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
149
vanelloe, French willow, euphorbia, and crane’s-bill : alfo 1777.
cudweed, ruflies, bull-ruflies, flax, aU-heal, American ,
nightfliade, knot-grafs, brambles, eye-bright, and ground-
fel ; but the fpecies of each are different from any we have
in Europe. There is alfo polypody, fpleenwort, and about
twenty other different fort of ferns, entirely peculiar to the
place ; with feveral forts of mofles, either rare, or produced
only here ; befldes a great number of other plants, whofe
ufes are not yet known, and fubjecfls fit only for botanical
books.
Of thefe, however, there is one which deferves particu-
lar notice here, as the natives make their garments of it,
and it produces a fine filky flax, fuperior in appearance to
any thing we have ; and probably, at leaft, as ftrong. It
grows every where near the fea, and in fome places a
confiderable way up the hills, in bunches or tufts, with
fedge-like leaves, bearing, on a long ffalk, yeUowifli
flowers, which are fucceeded by a long roundifli pod, fill-
ed with very thin fhining black feeds. A fpecies of long
pepper is found in great plenty ; but it has little of the
aromatic flavour that makes fpices valuable ; and a tree
much like a palm at a diftance, is pretty frequent in the
woods, though the deceit appears as you come near it. It
is remarkable that, as the greateft part of the trees and
plants had, at this time, loft their flowers, we perceived
they were generally of the berry-bearing kind ; of which,
and other feeds, I brought away about thirty different forts.
Of thefe, one in particular, which bears a red berry, is
much like the fupple-jack, and grows about the trees,
ftretching from one to another, in fuch a manner as to ren-
der the woods almoft wholly impaflable.
The birds, of which there is a tolerable flock, as well as
the
• 150
A VOYAGE TO.
^117-
February.
»
the vegetable produ6lions, are almoft entirely peculiar to
the place. And though it be difficult to follow them, on
account of the quantity of underwood, and the climbing
plants, that render travelling, for pleafure alone, uncom-
monly fatiguing, yet a perfon, by remaining in one place,
may ffioot as many in a day as would ferve fix or eight
others. The principal forts are, large brown parrots, with
white or greyiffi heads ; green parroquets, with red fore-
heads ; large wood pigeons, brown above, with white bel-
lies, the relf green, and the bill and feet red. Two forts of
cuckoos, one as large as our common fort, of a brown co-
lour, variegated with black ; the other not larger than a
fparrow, of a fplendid green call above, and elegantly va-
ried with waves of golden, green, brown, and white colours
below. Both thefe are fcarce ; but feveral others are in
greater plenty ; one of which, of a black colour, with a
greeniffi caft, is remarkable for having a tuft of white
curled feathers hanging under the throat, and was called
the Poy bird by our people. Another fort, rather fmaller,
is black, with a brown back and wings, and two fmall gills
under the root of the bill. This we called the fmall wattle
bird, to diflinguiffi it from another, which we called the
large one, of the lize of a common pigeon, with two large
yellow and purple membranes alfo, at the root of the bill.
It is black, or rather blue, and has no refemblance of the
other but in name ; for the bill is thick, ffiort, and crooked,
and has all together an uncommon appearance. A grofs-
beak, about the lize of a thruffi, of a brown colour, with a
reddilli tail, is frequent ; as is alfo a fmall greeniffi bird,
* See a drawing of this bird, Plate N° LII. m Captain Cook's Account of his Second
Voyage^ Vol. i. p. gy. It had this name from its tuft of feathers, refembling the white
flowers iifed as ornaments in the ears at Otaheite, and called there Poowa.
which
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
which is almoft the only mufical one here, but is fuflicient
by itfelf to fill the woods with a melody, that is not only
fweet, but fo varied, that one would imagine he was fur-
rounded by a hundred different forts of birds, when the lit-
tle warbler is near. From this circumftance we named it
the mocking bird. There are likewife three or four forts
of fmaller birds ; one of which, in figure and tamenefs, ex-
a6tly refembles our robin, but is black where that is brown,
and white where that is red. Another differs but little from
this, except in being fmaller ; and a third fort has a long
tail, which it expands as a fan on coming near, and makes
a chirping noife when it perches. King-fifhers are feen,
though rare, and are about the fize of our Englifh ones,
but with an inferior plumage.
About the rocks are feen black fea-pies with red bills ;
and crefted fhags of a leaden colour, with fmall black fpots
on the wings and flioulders, and the reft of the upper part
of a velvet black tinged with green. We frequently fliot
both thefe, and alfo a more common fort of fhags, black
above and white underneath, that build their nefts upon
trees, on which fometimes a dozen or more fit at once.
There are alfo, about the fliore, a few fea-gulls ; fome blue
herons ; and fometimes, though very rarely, wild ducks ;
a fmaU fandy-coloured plover, and fome fand larks. And
fmall penguins black above, with a white belly, as well
as numbers of little black divers, fwim often about the
Sound. We likewife killed two or three rails of a brown
or yellowifli colour, variegated with black, which feed
about the fmall brooks, and are nearly as large as a com-
mon fowl. No other fort of game was feen, except a lingle
fnipe, which was fliot, and differs but little from that of
Europe.
151
1777.
February.
i— V— — ^
The
A VOYAGE TO
15^
1777. The principal filli we caught by the feine were mullets
I and elephant fifla, with a few foies and flounders ; but thofe
that the natives moftly fupplied us with, were a fort of fea-
bream of a filver colour with a black fpot on the neck,
large conger eels, and a fifli in fliape much like the bream,
but fo large as to weigh five, fix, or feven pounds. It is
blackifli with thick lips, and called Mogge by the natives.
With hook and line we caught chiefly a blackifli fifli of the
fize of a haddock, called cole-fifli by the feamen, but dif-
fering much from that known by the fame name in Eu-
rope ; and another of the fame fize, of a reddifli colour with
a little beard, which we called night walkers, from the
greatefl: number being caught in the night. Sometimes wc
got a fort of fmall falmon, gurnards, fixate, and nurfes ; and
the natives, now and then, brought hake, paracutas, a fmall
fort of mackerel, parrot-fifli, and leather-jackets ; befides
another fifli which is very rare, fliaped almoft like a dol-
phin, of a black colour, with ftrong bony jaws, and the
back-fill, as well as thofe oppofite to it, much lengthened
at the end. All thefe forts, except the lafl, which we did
not try, are excellent to eat ; but the Mogge, fmall falmon,
and cole-fifli are fuperior to the reft.
The rocks are abundantly furniflied with great quanti-
ties of excellent mufcles ; one fort of which, that is not very
common, meafures above a foot in length. There are alfo
cockles buried in the faiid of the fmall beaches ; and in
foiiie places oyfters, which, though very fmall, are well
tafted. Of other fliell-fifli there are ten or twelve forts,
fuch as periwiiickles, wilks, limpets, and fome very beau-
tiful fea-ears ; alfo another fort which ftick to the weeds ;
with fome other things, as fea-eggs, ftar-fifli. Sec. feveral of
which are peculiar to the place. The natives likewife fome-
times
• THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
times brought us very fine cray-fifli, equal to our largefl;
lobfters, and cuttle fifli, which they eat themfelves.
Infects are very rare. Of thefe, we only faw two forts
of dragon-flies, fome butterflies, fmall graflioppers, feveral
forts of fpiders, fome fmall black ants, and vaft numbers
of fcorpion flies, with whofe chirping the woods refound.
The only noxious one is the fand-fly, very numerous here,
and almort as troublefome as the mufquitoe ; for we found
no reptile here, except two or three forts of fmall harmlefs
lizards
It is remarkable, that, in this extenfive land, there fhould
not even be the traces of any quadruped, only excepting a
few rats, and a fort of fox-dog, which is a domeftic animal
with the natives.
Neither is there any mineral worth notice, but a green
jafper or ferpent-ftone, of which the New Zealanders make
their tools and ornaments. This is efteemed a precious
article by them ; and they have fome fuperftitious notions
about the method of its generation, which we could not
perfe(flly underftand. It is plain, however, that wherever
it may be found (which, they fay, is in the channel of a
large river far to the Southward), it is difpofed in the earth
in thin layers, or, perhaps, in detached pieces, like our
flints ; for the edges of thofe pieces, which have not been
cut, are covered with a whitifli cruft like thefe. A piece of
this fort was purchafed, about eighteen inches long, a foot
broad, and near two inches thick ; which yet feemed to be
only the fragment of a larger piece.
The natives do not exceed the common ftature of Euro-
* In a feparate memorandum-book, Mr. Anderfon mentions the monftrous animal of
the lizard kind, defcribed by the two boys after they left the ifland.
VoL. I. X
153
^777-
February.
t . ,/
peans ;
1 54
'777-
February.
V—- '"Y—
A VOYAGE TO
peans ; and, in general, are not fo well made, efpecially
about the limbs. This is, perhaps, the effect of lifting,
for the moft part, on their hams ; and of being confined,
by the hilly difpofition of the country, from ufing that
fort of exercife which contributes to render the body
ftraight and well-proportioned. There are, however, feve-
ral exceptions to this ; and fome are remarkable for their
large bones and mufcles ; but few that I have feen are cor-
pulent.
Their colour is of different calls, from a pretty deep black
to a yellowilli or olive tinge ; and their features alfo are
various, fome refembling Europeans. But, in general, their
faces are round, with their lips full, and alfo their nofes
toward the point ; though the firft are not uncommonly
thick, nor the laft flat. I do not, however, recolle6l to
have feen an inftance of the true aquiline nofe amongft
them. Their teeth are commonly broad, white, and well
fet ; and their eyes large, with a very free motion, which
feems the effe<5l of habit. Their hair is black, flraight,
and ftrong, commonly cut fhort on the hind part, with the
reft tied on the crown of the head : but fome have it of a
curling difpofition, or of a browm colour. In the young,
the countenance is generally free or open ; but in many of
the men it has a ferious call, and fometimes a fullennefs or
referve, efpecially if they are ftrangers. The women are,
in general, fmaller than the men ; but have few peculiar
graces, either in form or features, to diftinguifli them.
The drefs of both fexes is alike ; and confifls of an ob-
long garment about five feet long, and four broad, made
from the filky flax already mentioned. This feems to be
their moft material and complex manufa<5lure, which is
executed by knotting ; and their work is often ornamented
with
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
155
with pieces of dog-fkin, or chequered at the corners. 1777.
Idiey bring two corners of this garment over the fhoulders, ,
and fallen it on the brealf with the other part, which co-
vers the body ; and about the beUy, it is again tied with a
girdle made of mat. Sometimes they cover it with large
feathers of birds (which feem to be wrought into the piece
of cloth when it is made), or with dog-fhin ; and that
alone we have feen worn as a covering. Over this gar-
ment many of them wear mats, which reach from the
Ilioulders to near the heels. But the moft common outer-
covering is a quantity of the above fedgy plant, badly
drelTed, which they fallen on a firing to a conliderable
length, and, throwing it about the Ihoulders, let it fall
down on all lides, as far as the middle of the thighs. When
they lit down with this upon them, either in their boats,
or upon the Ihore, it would be difficult to dillinguiffi them
from large grey Hones, if their black heads, projecSIing be-
yond their coverings, did not engage one to a ftridter exa-
mination.
By way of ornament, they fix in their heads feathers, or
combs of bone, or wood, adorned, with pearl fliell, or the
thin inner fkin of fome leaf. And in' the ears, both of
men and women, which are pierced, or rather flit, are
hung fmall pieces of jafper, bits of cloth, or beads when
they can get them. A few alfo have the feptum of the
nofe bored in its lower part ; but no ornament was worn
there that we faw ; though one man palTed a twig through
it, to fliew us that it was fometimes tiled for that pur-
pofe. They wear long beards, but are fond of having them
fliaved.
Some are pundlured or ftained in the face with curious
fpiral and other figures, of a black or deep blue colour ;
X 2 but
A VOYAGE TO
1777, but it is doubtful whether this be ornamental, or intended
. as a mark of particular diftindtion ; and the women, who
are marked fo, have the pundlure only on their lips, or a
fmall fpot on their chins. Both fexes often befmear their
faces and heads with a red paint, which feems to be
a martial ochre mixed with greafe ; and the women
fometimes wear necklaces of fliark’s teeth, or bunches
of long beads, which 'feem to be made of the leg-bones
of fmall birds, or a particular Ihell. A few alfo have
fmall triangular aprons adorned with the feathers of par-
rots, or bits of pearl fhells, furnidied with a double or treble
fet of cords to fallen them about the waill. I have fome-
times feen caps or bonnets made of the feathers of birds,
which may be reckoned as ornaments ; for it is not their
cuftom to wear any covering on their heads.
They live in the fmall coves formerly defcribed, in com-
panies of forty or fifty, or more ; and fometimes in lingle
families, building their huts contiguous to each other;
which, in general, are miferable lodging-places. The bell
I ever faw was about thirty feet long, fifteen broad, and fix
high, built exadlly in the manner of one of our country
barns. The inlide was both llrong and regularly made of
fupporters at the lides, alternately large and fmall, well
fallened by means of withes, and painted red and black.
The ridge pole was llrong ; and the large buU-rulhes,
which compofed the inner part of the thatching, were laid
with great exa6lnefs parallel to each other. At one end
was a fmall fquare hole, which ferved as a door to- creep in
at ; and near it another much fmaller, feemingly for let-
ting out the fmoke, as no other vent for it could be feen.
This, however, ought to be conlidered as one of the bell,
and the refidence of fome principal perfon ; for the greatefl
part
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
157
part of them are not half the above fize, and feldom exceed 1777.
four feet in height ; being, behdes, indifferently built, ,
though proof againft wind and rain.
No other furniture is to be feen in them, than a few
fmall bafkets or bags, in which they put their fifhing-
hooks, and other trifles ; and they fit down in the
middle round a fmall fire, where they alfo probably fleep,
without any other covering than what they wear in the
day, or perhaps without that ; as fuch confined places
mufi; be very warm, though inhabited but by a few
perfons.
They live chiefly by fifliing, making ufe either of nets
of different kinds, or of wooden fifli-hooks pointed with
bone ; but fo oddly made, that a ftranger is at a lofs to
know how they can anfwer fuch a purpofe. It alfo ap-
pears, that they remove their habitations from one place
to another when the fifh grow fcarce, or for fome other
reafon; for we found houfes now built in feveral parts,
where there had been none when we were here during: our
lafi: voyage, and even thefe have been already deferted.
Their boats are well built, of planks raifed upon each
other, and faftened with ftrong withes, wliich alfo bind
a long narrow piece on the outfide of the feams to pre-
vent their leaking. Some are fifty feet long, and fo broad
as to be able to fail without an outrigger ; but the fmaller
fort commonly have one ; and they often fallen two toge-
ther by rafters, which we then call a double canoe. They
carry from five to thirty men or more ; and have often a
large head ingenioufly carved, and painted with a figure
at the point, which feems intended to reprefent a man,
with his features diilorted by rage. Their paddles are
abortt four or five feet long, narrow, and pointed ; with
which,
Oi
A VOYAGE TO
8
1777.- which, when they keep time, the boat is puflied along
, Febiuary.^ pretty fwiftly. Their fail, which is feldom ufed, is made
of a mat of a triangular fliape, having the broadeft
part above.
The only method of dreffing their fhli, is by roafting,
or rather baking ; for they are intirely ignorant of the art
of boiling. In the fame manner they drefs the root, and
part of the ftalk, of the large fern-tree, in a great hole dug
for that purpofe, which ferves as an oven. After which
they fplit it, and find, within, a fine gelatinous fubftance,
like boiled fago powder, but firmer. They alfo ufe another
fmaller fern root, which feems to be their fubftitute for
bread, as it is dried and carried about with them, together
with dried fifli in great quantities, when they remove their
families, or go far from home. This they beat with a ftick
till it becomes pretty foft, when they chew it fufficiently,
and fpit out the hard fibrous part, the other having a
fweetifii mealy tafte not at all difagreeable.
When they dare not venture to fea, or perhaps from
choice, they fupply the place of other fifii with mufcles
and fea-ears ; great quantities of the fliells of which lie in
heaps near their houfes. And they fometimes, though
rarely, find means to kill rails, penguins, and fliags, which
help to vary their diet. They alfo breed confiderable num-
bers of the dogs, mentioned before, for food ; but thefe
cannot be confidered as a principal article of diet. From
whence we may conclude, that, as there is not the leafi:
fign of cultivation of land, they depend principally for their
fubfiftence on the fea, which, indeed, is very bountiful in
its fupply.
Their method of feeding correfponds with the naftinefs
of their perfons, which often fmell difagreeably from the
quantity
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
159
quantity of greafe about them, and their clothes never be- 1777.
ing wadied. We have feen them eat the vermin, with .
which their heads are I'ufliciently hocked.
They alfo ufed to devour, with the greateft eagernefs,
large quantities of ftinking train oil, and blubber of feals,
which we were melting at the tent, and had kept near two
months ; and, on board the fhips, they were not fatisfied
with emptying the lamps, but actually fwallowed the cot-
ton, and fragrant wick, with equal voracity. It is worthy
of notice, that though the inhabitants of Van Diemen’s
land appear to have but a fcanty fubfiftence, they would
not even tafte our bread, though they faw us eat it ; where-
as thefe people devoured it greedily, when both mouldy
and rotten. But this muft not be imputed to any defeat in
their fenfations ; for I have obferved them throw away
things which we eat, with evident difguft, after only fmell-
ing to them.
They fliew as much ingenuity, both in invention and
execution, as any uncivilized nations under fimilar cir-
cumftances. For, without the ufe of any metal tools,
they make every thing by which they procure their fub-
liftence, clothing, and warlike weapons, with a degree of
neatnefs, ftrength, and convenience for accomplidiing their
fever al purpofes. Their chief mechanical tool is formed
exadtly after the manner of our adzes ; and is made, as are
alfo the chiffel and goudge, of the green ferpent-ftone or
jafper, already mentioned ; though fometimes they are
compofed of a black, fmooth, and very folid hone. But
their mafter-piece feems to be carving, which is found
upon the moll trifling things ; and, in particular, the heads
of their canoes are fometimes ornamented with it in fuch
a manner, as not only fhews much delign, but is alfo an
example
example of their great labour and patience in execution.
Their cordage, for fidiing-lines is equal, in ftrength and
evennefs, to that made by us ; and their nets not at all in-
ferior. But what muft coft them more labour than any
other article, is the making the tools we have mentioned ;
for the Hone is exceedingly hard, and the only method of
•fafhioning it, we can guefs at, is by rubbing one ftone upon
another, which can have but a How effect. Their fublfitute
for a knife is a fliell, a bit of flint, or jafper. And, as an
auger, to bore holes, they fix a fliark’s tooth in the end of a
fmall piece of wood. It is true, they have a fmall faw made
of fome jagged fillies teeth, fixed on the convex edge of a
piece of wood nicely carved. But this, they fay, is only
ufed to cut up the bodies of their enemies whom they kill
in battle.
No people can have a quicker fenfe of an injury done to
them, and none are more ready to relent it. But, at the fame
time, they will take an opportunity of being infolent when
they think there is no danger of punifhment ; which is fo
contrary to the fpirit of genuine bravery, that, perhaps,
their eagernefs to refent injuries is to be looked upon rather
as an effecT of a furious difpofition than of great courage.
They alfo appear to be of a fufpicious or miftruftful temper
(which, however, may rather be acquired than natural), for
ftrangers never came to our fliips immediately, but lay in
their boats at a fmall diftance, either to obferve our motions,
or confult whether or no they fhould rifk their fafety with
us. To this they join a great degree of diflionefty ; for
they Heal every thing they can lay their hands on, if there
be the leaf! hope of not being detected ; and, in trading, I
have little doubt but they would take advantages, if they
thought it could be done with fafety ; as they not only refufe
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
i6i
to triift a thing in one’s hand for examination, but exult if
they think they have tricked you in the bargain.
Such conduct, however, is, in fome meafure, to be ex-
pected where there appears to be but little fubordination,
and confequently few, if any, laws, to punilh tranfgref-
lions. For no man’s authority feems to extend farther
than his own family ; and when, at any time, they join for
mutual defence, or any other purpofe, thofe amongft them
who are eminent for courage or prudence, are directors.
How their private quarrels are terminated is uncertain ;
but, in the few we faw, which were of little confequence,
the parties concerned were clamorous and diforderly.
Their pubhc contentions are frequent, or rather perpe-
tual ; for it appears, from their number of weapons, and
dexterity in uhng them, that war is their principal pro-
feffion. Thefe weapons are fpears, patoos and halberts, or
fometimes ftones. The firlt are made of hard wood point-
ed, of different lengths, from five, to twenty, or even thirty
feet long. The fliort ones are ufed for throwing as darts.
The patoo or emeete is of an elliptical fiiape, about eighteen
inches long, with a handle made of wood, ftone, the bone
of fome fea animal, or green jafper, and feems to be their
principal dependence in battle. The halbert, or long club,
is about five or fix feet long, tapering at one end with a
carved head, and at the other, broad or flat, with fharp
edges.
Before they begin the onfet, they join in a war-fong, to
which they all keep the exaClefi; time, and foon raife their
paflion to a degree of frantic fury, attended with the mofi:
horrid dilfortion of their eyes, mouths, and tongues, to
ftrike terror into their enemies ; which, to thofe who have
not been accuftomed to fuch a practice, makes them ap-
VoL. I. Y jjear
^777-
February.
i62
A VOYAGE TO
1777. pear more like demons than men, and would almoft chill
. the boldelt with fear. To this fucceeds a circumftance, al-
moft foretold in their fierce demeanor, horrid, cruel, and
difgraceful to human nature ; which is, cutting in pieces,
even before being perfecSlly dead, the bodies of their ene-
mies, and, after drelfing them on a fire, devouring the
flelh, not only without reluctance, but with peculiar fatif-
faCtion.
One might be apt to fuppofe, that people, capable of
fuch excefs of cruelty, mull be deftitute of every humane
feeling, even amongft their own party. And yet we find
them lamenting the lofs of their friends, with a violence
of expreffion which argues the molt tender remembrance of
them. For both men and women, upon the death of thofe
connected with them, whether in battle or otherwife, be-
wail them with the molt doleful cries ; at the fame time
cutting their foreheads and cheeks, with Ihells or pieces of
flint, in large gaflies, until the blood flows plentifully and
mixes with their tears. They alfo carve pieces of their
green ftone, rudely fliaped, as human figures, which they
ornament with bright eyes of pearl-fhell, and hang them
about their necks, as memorials of thofe whom they held
moft dear ; and their affeClions of this kind are fo Itrong,
that they even perform the ceremony of cutting, and la-
menting for joy, at the return of any of their friends, who
have been abfent but for a fhort time.
The children are initiated, at a very early age, into all
the practices, good or bad, of their fathers ; fo that you
find a boy or girl, nine or ten years old, able to perform all
the motions, and to imitate the frightful geftures, by which
the more aged ufe to infpire their enemies with terror,
keeping the flriCleft time in their fong. They likewife
fing.
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
fiiig, with fome degree of melody, the traditions of their
forefathers, their adfions in war, and other indifferent fub-
je(5ls ; of all which they are immoderately fond, and fpend
much of their time, in thefe amufements, and in playing
on a fort of flute.
Their language is far from being harfli or difagreeable,
though the pronunciation is frequently guttural; and what-
ever (qualities are requifite in any other language to make
it mufical, certainly obtain to a confiderable degree here,
if we may judge from the melody of fome forts of their
fongs. It is alfo fufliciently comprehenfive, though, in
many refpecfls, deficient, if compared with our European
languages, which owe their perfection to long improve-
ment. But a fmall fpecimen is here fubjoined, from which
fome judgment may be formed. I collected a great many
of their words, ^both now and in the courfe of our former
voyage ; and being equally attentive, in my inquiries, about
the languages of the other iflands throughout the South
Sea, I have the ampleft proof of their wonderful agreement,
or rather identity. This general obfervation has, indeed,
been already made in the accounts of the former voyages
I fliall be 'enabled, how^ever, to confirm and ftrengthen it,
by a frefh lift of words, feleCted from a large vocabulary
in my pofleflion ; and by placing, in the oppofite column,
the correfponding words as ufed at Otaheite, the curious
reader will, at one view, be furnifhed with fuflicient mate-
rials for judging by what fubordinate changes the differ-
ence of dialed has been effected.
* See Hawkefworth’s Colleaion, Vol. iii. p. 474, 475, and Captain Cook’s Voyage,
V ol. ii. p. 364.
^ ^ Englifli
163
1777.
February.
164
A VOYAGE TO
1777*
February.
Englifh.
New Zealand.
Otaheite.
Water^
Ewy,
Evy.
A tail of a dog.,
Wyeroo,
Ero.
Death, dead.
Kaoo, matte,
Matte, roa.
1’ofly,
Ererre,
Eraire.
A houfe.
Ewharre,
Ewharre.
To Jleep,
Moea,
Moe.
Af/h-hook,
Makoee,
Maton.
Shut,
Opanee,
Opanee.
A bed.
Moenga,
Moera.
A butterfly.
Epaipe,
Pepe.
To chew, or eat.
Hekaee,
Ey.
Cold,
Makkareede,
Mareede.^
To-day,
Agooanai,
Aooanai.
The hand.
Reenga,
Ereema.
Large,
Keeerahoi,
Erahoi.
Red,
Whairo,
Oora, oora.
We,
Taooa^
Taooa.
Where is itf
Kahaia,
Tehaia.
A flone.
Powhy,
Owhy.
A man.
T angata.
Taata,
Black,
Purra, purra.
Ere, ere.
White,
Ema,
Ooama.
T 0 refide, or dwell.
Nohoanna,
Nohonoa.
Out, not within.
Woho,
Woho.
Male kind (of any animal),
Toa,
Etoa.
Female,
Eoowha,
Eooha.
A floark.
Mango,
Mao.
To underjland.
Geetaia,
Eetea.
Forgot, .
Warre,
Ooaro.
Teflerday,
Taeninnahoi,
Ninnahoi.
One,
Tahaee,
Atahay.
THE
PACIFIC OCE
A N.
165
Englifh.
New Zealand.
Otaheite.
1777.
I’wo^
Pvooa,
Erooa.
February,
V
T'hree^
Toroo,
Toroo.
Four^
Faa,
Ahaa.
Five,
Reema,
Ereema.
Six,
Ono,
Aono.
Seven,
Heetoo,
Aheitoo.
Fight,
Waroo,
A waroo.
Nine,
Eeva,
Aeeva.
Fen,
Angahoora,
Ahooroo.
The New Zealanders to thefe numerals prefix Ma\ as.
Eleven,
Matahee.
Fwelve, &c. 8cc.
Marooa, ^c. &c.
Fwenty,
Mangahoora.
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A
VOYAGE
TO THE
PACIFIC OCEAN.
BOOK II.
FROM LEAVING NEW ZEALAND TO OUR ARRIVAL AT
OTAHEITE, OR THE SOCIETY ISLANDS.
CHAP. I.
Profecution of the Voyage. — Behaviour of the Two New Zea-
landers on board. — Unfavourable Winds. — An I/land called
Mangeea difcovered. — The Coaji of it examined. — Tranf
aSlions with the Natives. — An Account of their Perfons,
Drefs, and Canoe. — Defcription of the I/land. — A Specimen
of the Language. — Difpoftion of the Inhabitants.
ON the 25th, at ten o’clock in the morning, a light 1777.
breeze fpringing up at North Weft by Weft, we
weighed, ftood out of the Sound, and made fail Tuefday25.
through the ftrait, with the Difcovery in company. We had
hardly got the length of Cape Teerawitte, when the wind •
took us aback at South Eaft. It continued in this quarter till
two
A VOYAGE TO
i68
February.
( — ^
Wednef. z6.
Thurfday 27.
Friday 28.
two o’clock the next morning, when we had a few hours
calm. After which we had a breeze at North ; but here it
fixed not long, before it veered to the Eaft, and after that to
the South. At length, on the 27th, at eight o’clock in the
morning, we took our departure from Cape Pallifer, which,
at this time, bore Weft, feven or eight leagues diftant. We
had a fine gale, and I fteered Eaft by North.
We had no fooner loft fight of the land than our two
New Zealand adventurers, the fea ficknefs they now exj^e-
rienced giving a turn to their refledlions, repented heartily
of the ftep they had taken. All the foothing encourage-
ment we could think of, availed but little. They wept,
both in public and in private, and made their lamentations
in a kind of fong, which, as far as we could comprehend
the meaning of the words, was expreflive of their praifes
of their country and people, from which they were to be
feparated for ever. Thus they continued for many days,
till their fea ficknefs wore off, and the tumult of their
minds began to fubfide. Then thefe fits of lamentation
became lefs and lefs frequent, and at length entirely ceafed.
Their native country and their friends were, by degrees,
forgot, and they appeared to be as firmly attached to us, as
if they had been born amongft us.
The wind had not remained many hours at South, before
it veered to South Eaft and Eaft ; and, with this, we flood to
the North, till the 28th at noon. Being then in the latitude
of 41° 17", and in the longitude of 177° 17' Eaft, we tacked
and flood to the South Eaft, with a gentle breeze at Eaft
North Eaft. It afterward frefhened, and came about to
North Eaft ; in which quarter it continued two days, and
fometimes blew a frelh gale with fqualls, accompanied with
fliowers of rain.
On
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
169
On the 2d of March at noon, being in the latitude of 1777.
42° 35' 30'", longitude 180° 8' Eaft, the wind fliifted to North .
Weft; afterward to South Weft; and between this point Sunday 2.
and North it continued to blow, fometimes a ftrong gale
with hard fqualls, and at other times very moderate. With
this wind we fteered North Eaft by Eaft and Eaft, under
all the fail we could carry, till the nth at noon, at which Tuefdayn.
time we were in the latitude of 39° 29", longitude 196° 4'
Eaft.
The wind now veered to North Eaft and South Eaft, and
I ftood to the North, and to the North Eaft, as the wind
would admit, till one o’clock in the morning on the i6th, Sunday 16.
when having a more favourable gale from the North, I
tacked and ftood to the Eaft ; the latitude being 33° 40^ and
the longitude 198° 50' Eaft. We had light airs and calms
by turns, till noon the next day, when the wind began to Monday 17.
freftien at Eaft South Eaft, and I again ftood to the North
Eaft. But as the wind often veered to Eaft and Eaft North
Eaft, we frequently made no better than a northerly courfe ;
nay fometimes to the Weftward of North. But the hopes
of the wind coming more Southerly, or of meeting with it
from the Weftward, a little without the Tropic, as I had
experienced in my former vilits to this ocean, encouraged
me to continue this courfe. Indeed it was neceffary that I
lliould run all rilks, as my proceeding to the North this
year, in profecution of the principal obje6l of the voyage,
depended entirely on my making a quick paflage to Ota-
heite, or the Society Iflands.
The wind continued invariably fixed at Eaft South Eaft,
or feldom fhifting above two points on either fide. It alfo
•blew very faint, fo that it was the 27th before we crofted Thurfdayzy,
the Tropic, and then we were only in the longitude of
VoL. I. Z 20l‘^
170
A VOYAGE TO
1777- 201° 23' Eaft, which was nine degrees to the Weftward of
j onr intended port. In all this mn we law nothing, except
now and then a Tropic bird, that could induce us to think
we had failed near any land. In the latitude of 34° 20',
longitude 199°, we palTed the trunk of a large tree, which
was covered with barnacles ; a lign that it had been long
at fea.
Saturday 29. Oil the 29th, at tell in the morning, as we were handing
to the North Eaft, the Difcovery made the lignal of feeing
land. We faw it from the maft-head almoft the fame mo-
ment, bearing North Eaft by Eaft by compafs. We fooii
difcovered it to be an ill and of no great extent, and hood
for it till funfet, when it bore North North Eaft, diftant
about two or three leagues.
The night was fpent in handing off and on, and at day-
Sunday 30. break the next morning, I bore up for the lee or Weft fide
of the ifland, as neither anchorage nor landing appeared
to be practicable on the South fide, on account of a great
furf '■S which broke every where with violence againft the
fliore, or againft the reef that furrounded it.
We prefently found that the ifland was inhabited, and
faw feveral people, on a point of the land w'e had palfed,
wading to the reef, where, as they found the fhip leaving
them quickly, they remained. But others, who foon ap-
peared in different parts, followed her courfe ; and fome-
times feveral of them collected into fmall bodies, who made
a fhouting noife all together, nearly after the manner of
the inhabitants of New Zealand.
Between feven and eight o’clock, we were at the Weft
North Weft part of the ifland, and, being near the Ihore, we
* A very Ingenious and fatisfa£lory account of the caufe of the furf, is to be met with
in Marfden’s Hiftory of Sumatra, p. 29. 32.
could
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
171
could perceive with our giafles, that feveral of the natives,
who appeared upon a fandy beach, were all armed with
long fpears and clubs, which they brandiflied in the air
with ligns of threatening, or, as fome on board interpreted
their attitudes, with invitations to land. Mod: of them ap-
peared naked, except having a fort of girdle, which, being
brought up between the thighs, covered that part of the
body. But fome of them had pieces of cloth of different
colours, white, flriped, or chequered, which they wore as
a garment, thrown about their flioulders. And almofl: all
of them had a white wrapper about their heads, not much
unhke a turban ; or, in fome inftances, like a high conical
cap. We could alfo perceive that they were of a tawny
colour, and in general of a middling flature, but robuft,
and inclining to corpulence.
At this time, a fmall canoe was launched in a great
hurry from the further end of the beach, and a man get-
ting into it, put off, as with a view to reach the fliip. On
perceiving this, I brought to, that we might receive the
vifit ; but the man’s refolution failing, he foon returned
toward the beach, where, after fome time, another man
joined him in the canoe ; and then they both paddled to-
ward us. They llopt fliort, however, as if afraid to ap-
proach, until Omai, who addreffed them in the Otaheite
language, in fome meafure quieted their apprehenfions.
They then came near enough to take fome beads and nails,
which were tied to a piece of wood, and thrown into the
canoe. They feemed afraid to touch thefe things, and put
the piece of wood afide without untying them. This, how-
ever, might arife from fuperHiition ; for Omai told us, that
when they faw us offering them prefents, they aficed fome-
thing for Eatooa^ or god. He alfo, perhaps impro-
Z 2
perly,
A VOYAGE TO
172
1777. perly, put the queftion to them, Whether they ever eat
t ' . human flelli ? which they anfwered in the negative, with a
mixture of indignation and abhorrence. One of them,
whofe name was Mourooa, being afked how he came by
a fear on his forehead, told us that it was the confequence
of a wound he had got in fighting with the people of an
illand, which lies to the North Eaftward, who fometimes
came to invade them. They afterward took hold of a
rope. Still, however, they would not venture on board ;
but told Omai, who underftood them pretty well, that
their countrymen on fliore had given them this caution,
at the fame time direcSting them to inquire, from whence
our blip came, and to learn the name of the Captain. On
our part, we inquired the name of the illand, which they
called Mangy a or Mange ea ; and fometimes added to it Nooe^
nai, naiwa. The name of their Chief, they faid, was
Orooaeeka.
Mourooa was lufty and well made, but not very tall. His
features were agreeable, and his difpofition feemingly no
lefs fo; for he made feveral droll gefticulations, which
indicated both good-nature and a fhare of humour. He
alfo made others which feemed of a ferious kind, and re-
peated fome w'ords with a devout air, before he ventured to
lay hold of the rope at the fliip’s Hern ; which was pro-
bably to recommend himfelf to the prote6tion of fome Di-
vinity. His colour was nearly of the fame call; with that
common to the moft fouthern Europeans. The other man
was not fo handfome. Both of them had ftrong, ftraight
hair, of a jet colour, tied together on the crown of the
head with a bit of cloth. They wore fuch girdles as we
had perceived about thofe on fhore, and we found they
were a fubllance made from the Morus papyrifera-, in the
fame
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
173
fame manner as at the other illands of this ocean. It was
glazed like the fort ufed by the natives of the Friendly
Illands ; but the cloth on their heads was white, like that
which is found at Otaheite. They had on, a kind of fan-
dais, made of a graffy fubftance interwoven, which we alfo
obferved were worn by thofe w ho flood upon the beach ;
and, as we fuppofed, intended to defend their feet againfl
the rough coral rock. Their beards were long ; and the
inlide of their arms, from the flioulder to the elbow, and
fome other parts, were pundlured or tatooed^ after the man-
ner of, the inhabitants of almofl all the other illands in the
South Sea. The lobe of their ears was pierced, or rather
flit, and to fuch a length, that one of them fluck there a
knife and fome beads, which he had received from us ; and
the fame perfon had two polifhed pearl-fliells, and a bunch
of human hair, loofely twifted, hanging about his neck,
which was the only ornament we obferved. The canoe
they came in (which was the only one we faw), was not
above ten feet long, and very narrow ; but both flrong and
neatly made. The forepart had a flat board faflened over
it, and projecting out, to prevent the fea getting in on
plunging, like the fmall Evaas at Otaheite ; but it had an
upright Hern, about five feet high, like fome in New Zea-
land ; and the upper end of this ftern-poft was forked.
The lower part of the canoe was of white wood ; but the
upper was black, and their paddles, made of wood of the
fame colour, not above three feet long, broad at one end,
and blunted. They paddled either end of the canoe for-
ward indifferently ; and only turned about their faces to
paddle the contrary way.
We now flood off and on ; and as foon as the fhips were
in a proper flation, about ten o’clock I ordered two boats,
one
1777-
March.
174
A VOYAGE TO
1777. one of them from the Difcovery, to found the coaft, and to
‘ . endeavour to find a landing-place. With this view, I went
in one of them myfelf, taking with me fuch articles to give
the natives, as I thought might ferve to gain their good-
will. I had no fooner put off' from the fliip, than the
canoe, with the two men, which had left us not long be-
fore, paddled toward my boat ; and, having come along-
fide, Mourooa flept into her, without being afked, and
without a moment’s helitation.
Omai, who was with me, was ordered to inquire of him,
where we could land ; and he directed us to two different
places. But I faw, with regret, that the attempt could not
be made at either place, unlefs at the rifk of having our
boats filled with water, or even ftaved to pieces. Nor were
we more fortunate in our fearch for anchorage ; for we
could find no bottom, till within a cable’s length of the
breakers. There we met with from forty to twenty fa-
thoms depth, over fliarp coral rocks ; fo that anchoring
would have been attended with much more danger than
landing.
While we were thus employed in reconnoitring the
fliore, great numbers of the natives thronged down upon
the reef, all armed as above mentioned. Mourooa, who
was now in my boat, probably thinking that this warlike
appearance hindered us from landing, ordered them to
retire back. As many of them complied, I judged he muff
be a perfon of Ibme confequence among them. Indeed, if
we underflood him right, he was the king’s brother. So
great was the curiofity of feveral of them, that they took
to the water, and, fwimming off to the boats, came on
board them without referve. Nay, we found it difficult
to keep them out ; and Hill more difficult to prevent
their
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
175
their carrying off every thing they could lay their hands 1777.
upon. At length, when they perceived that we were re- . ,
turning to the Iliips, they all left us, except our original
vifiter Mourooa. He, though not without evident figns of
fear, kept his place in my boat, and accompanied me on
board the fliip.
The cattle and other new obje£ls, that prefented them-
felves to him there, did not ftrike him with fo much fur-
prife as one might have expelled. Perhaps his mind was
too much taken up about his own fafety, to allow him to
attend to other things. It is certain, that he feemed very
uneafy ; and the fliip, on our getting on board, happening
to be handing off Iliore, this circumftance made him the
more fo. I could get but little new information from him ;
and therefore, after he had made a fliort ftay, I ordered
a boat to carry him in toward the land. As foon as he got
out of the cabin, he happened to humble over one of the
goats. His curiofity now overcoming his fear, he hopped,
looked at it, and afked Omai, what bird this was ? and not
receiving an immediate anfwer from him, he repeated the
quehion to fome of the people upon deck. The boat hav- •
ing conveyed him pretty near to the furf, he leaped into
the fea, and fwam afhore. He had no fooner landed, than
the multitude of his countrymen gathered round him, as if
with an eager curiolity to learn from him what he had
feen; and in this fituation they remained, when we loh
fight of them. As foon as the boat returned, we hoifted
her in, and made fail from the land to the Northward.
Thus were we obliged to leave, unvifited, this line ifland,
which feemed capable of fupplying all our wants. It lies
in the latitude of 21° 57'’ South ; and in the longitude of
201° 53' Eaft. Such parts of the coaft, as fell under our
obfervation.
176
A VOYAGE TO
«777*
March.
u..—
obfervation, are guarded by a reef of coral rock, on the out-
fide of which the fea is of an unfathomable depth. It is full
five leagues in circuit, and of a moderate and pretty equal
height ; though, in clear weather, it may be certainly feen
at the diftance of ten leagues ; for we had not loft fight of it
at night, when we had run above feven leagues, and the
weather was cloudy. In the middle, it rifes into little hills,
from whence there is a gentle defcent to the fhore, which,
at the South Weft part, is fteep, though not above ten or
twelve feet high ; and has feveral excavations made by the
beating of the waves againft a brownifti fand-ftone of
which it is compofed. The defcent here is covered with
trees of a deep green colour, very thick, but not high,
which feem all of one fort, unlefs neareft the fhore, where
there are great numbers of that fpecies of drac/ena found in
the woods of New Zealand, which are alfo fcattered in fome
other places. On the North Weft part, the lliore, as we
mentioned above, ends in a fandy beach ; beyond which the
land is broken down into fmall chafms or gullies, and has a
broad border of trees refembling tall willows ; which, from
its regularity, might be fuppofed a work of art, did not its
extent forbid us to think fo. Farther up on the afcent, the
trees were of the deep green mentioned before. Some of
us fuppofed thefe to be the rima, intermixed with low cocoa
palms ; and a few of fome other forts. They feemed not
fo thick as on the South Weft part, and higher ; which ap-
pearance might be owing to our nearer approach to the
fhore. On the little hills, were fome trees of a taller fort,
thinly fcattered ; but the other parts of them were either
bare, and of a reddifli colour, or covered with fomething
like fern. Upon the whole, the illand has a pretty afpecft,
and might be made a beautiful Ipot by cultivation,
As
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
177
As the inhabitants feemed to be both numerous and well
fed, fuch articles of provilion as the illand produces muft ^
be in great plenty. It might, however, be a matter of cu-
riolity to know, particularly, their method of fubfiftence ;
for our friend Mourooa told us, that they had no animals,
as hogs and dogs, both which, however, they had heard of;
but acknowledged they had plantains, bread-fruit, and taro.
The only birds we faw, were fome white egg-birds, terns,
and noddies ; and one white heron, on the fliore.
The language of the inhabitants of Mangeea is a dialect
of that fpoken at Otaheite ; though their pronunciation, as
that of the New Zealanders, be more guttural. Some of
their words, of which two or three are perhaps peculiar to
this ifland, are here fubjoined, as taken, by Mr. Anderfon,
from Omai, who had learnt them in his converfations with
Mourooa. The Otaheite words, where there is any re-
femblance, are placed oppolite.
Englifli.
Mangeea,
Otaheite.
A cocoa nut^
Eakkaree,
Aree.
Bread-fruity
Kooroo,
Ooroo.
A canoBy
Ewakka,
Evaa.
Friendy
Naoo, mou.
A marly
Taata, or Tangata,
Taata.
Clothy or cloth plant y Taia, taia aoutee.
Eoute.
Goody
Mata,
Myty.
A cluby
Pooroohee.
TeSy
Aee,
Ai.
NOy
Aoure,
Aoure.
Afpeary
Hey hey.
A fight y or battlcy
Etamagee,
Tamaee.
A womany
Waheine,
Waheine.
VoL. I.
A a
1777-
March.
■'W
178
A
VOYAGE
T 0
»777*
Englifh.
Mangeea,
Otaheite,
March.
A daughter
Maheine,
Maheine.
Jun^
Heetaia matooa.
I,
Ou,
Wou.
‘fhe/hore,
Euta,
Euta,
What is that?
Ehataieee ?
Owytaieeoa ?
Thereof
Oo.
A chiefs
Ereekee,
Eree.
Greats ov powerful, |
Manna (an adjundi
to the laft)^
To kifs.
Ooma.
The natives of Mangeea feem to refemble thofe of Ota-
heite and the Marqnefas in the beauty of their perfons,
more than any other nation I have feen in thefe feas ; hav-
ing a fmooth flcin, and not being mufcular. Their general
difpofition alfo correfponds,' as far as we had opportunities
of judging, with that which diftinguifhes the firft men-
tioned people. For they are not only cheerful, but, as
Mourooa diewed us, are acquainted with all the lafcivious
gefticulations which the Otaheiteans pra6tife in their dances.
It may alfo be fuppofed, that their method of living is li-
milar. For, though the nature of the country prevented
our feeing many of their habitations, we obferved one
houfe near the beach, which much refembled, in its mode
of conftrucSlion, thofe of Otaheite. It was pleafantly lituated
in a grove of trees, and appeared to be about thirty feet
long, and feven or eight high, with an open end, which
reprefented an eUipfe divided tranfverfely. Before it, was
fpread fomething white on a few bufhes ; which we con-
jecSIured to be a fhliing net, and, to appearance, of a very
delicate texture.
They
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
179
They falute ftrangers much after the manner of the New
Zealanders, by joining nofes ; adding, however, the addi- v
tional ceremony of taking the hand of the perfon to whom
they are paying civilities, and rubbing it with a degree of
force upon their nofe and mouth
* The inhabitants of the Palaos, New Philippine, or rather Caroline Iflands, at the
diftance of almoft fifteen hundred leagues from Mangeea, have the fame mode of falutation.
“ Leur civilite, et la marque de leur refpeft, conlifte a prendre la main ou le pied de celui
a qui ils veulent faire honneur, et s’en frotter doucement tout le vifage.” Lettres Edi-
Jiantes et Curieufes^ Tom. xv. p. 208. Edit. 1781.
1777-
March.
— »
A a 2
CHAP.
i8o
A VOYAGE TO
CHAP. II.
1777-
March.
Sunday 30.
Monday 3 1 .
April.
Tuel'day i.
The Difcovery of an IJland called IVateeoo, — Its Coafts exa^
mined. — Vijits from the Natives on board the Ships. — Mejf.
Gore, Burney, and Anderfon, with Omai, fent on Shore. —
Mr. Anderfon's Narrative of their Reception. — Omai's Ex-
pedient to prevent their being detained. — His meeting with
fome of his Countrymen, and their dijlrefsful Voyage. — Far-
ther Account of JVateeoo, and of its Inhabitants.
After leaving Mangeea, on the afternoon of the 30th,
we continued our courfe Northward all that night,
and till noon on the 31ft ; when we again faw land, in the
direction of North Eaft by North, diftant eight or ten
leagues.
Next morning, at eight o’clock, we had got abreaft of its
North end, within four leagues of it, but to leeward ; and
could now pronounce it to be an ifland, nearly of the fame
appearance and extent with that we had fo lately left. At
the fame time, another illand, but much fmaller, was feen
right ahead. We could have foon reached this ; but the
largeft one had the preference, as moft likely to furnifli a
fupply of food for the cattle, of which we began to be in
great want.
With this view I determined to work up to it; but as
there was but little wind, and that little was unfavourable,
we were ftill two leagues to leeward at eight o’clock the
following
T H E P A C I F I C O C E A N. i8t
following morning. Soon after, I fent two armed boats 1777.
from the Refolution, and one from the Difcovery, under . ,
the command of Lieutenant Gore, to look for anchoring- Wednef.
ground, and a landing-place. In the mean time, we plyed
up under the illand with the fliips.
Juft as the boats were putting off, we obferved feveral
fingle canoes coming from the fliore. They went firft to
the Difcovery, fhe being the neareft ftiip. It was not long
after, when three of thefe canoes came along-ftde of the
Refolution, each condudled by one man. They are long
and narrow, and fupported by outriggers. The ftern is
elevated about three or four feet, fomething like a fliip’s
ftern-poft. The head is flat above, but prow-like belotv,
and turns down at the extremity, hke the end of a violin.
Some knives, beads, and other trifles were conveyed to
our viflters ; and they gave us a few cocoa-nuts, upon
our alking for them. But they did not part with them
by way of exchange for what they had received from
us. For they feemed to have no idea of bartering ; nor
did they appear to eftimate any of our prefents at a high
rate.
With a little perfuafton, one of them made his canoe fall
to the fliip, and came on board ; and the other two, en-
couraged by his example, foon followed him. Their whole
behaviour marked that they were quite at their eafe, and
felt no fort of apprehenflon of our detaining, or ufing
them ill.
After their departure, another canoe arrived, conducfted
by a man who brought a bunch of plantains as a prefent
to me ; afking for me by name, having learnt it from
Omai, who was fent before us in the boat with Mr. Gore.
In return for this civility, I gave him an axe, and a piece
of
A VOYAGE TO
i8a
1777. of red cloth ; and he paddled back to the lliore well fatif-
. fied. .1 afterward nnderftood from Omai, that this pre-
fent had been fent from tire king, or principal Chief of the
bland.
Not long after, a double canoe, in which were twelve
men, came toward us. As they drew near the fliip, they
recited fome words in concert, by way of chorus one of
their number firft handing up, and giving the word before
oach repetition. When they had finilhed their folemn
chant, they came along-lide, and afked for the Chief. As
foon as I lliewed myfelf, a pig and a few cocoa-nuts were
conveyed up into the Ihip ; and the principal perfon in the
canoe made me an additional prefent of a piece of matting,
as foon as he and his companions got on hoard.
Our viliters were condu6ted into the cabin, and to other
parts of the fhip. Some objects feemed to ftrike them
with a degree of furpiize ; but nothing fixed their atten-
tion for a moment. They were afraid to come near the
cows and horfes ; nor did they form the leaft conception
of their nature. But the fheep and goats did not furpafs
the limits of their ideas ; for they gave us to underhand,
that they knew them to be birds. It will appear rather
incredible, that human ignorance could ever make fo
hrange a miftake ; there not being the moft diftant fimili-
* Something like this ceremony was performed by the inhabitants of the Marquefas,
when Captain Cook vifited them in 1774. See his Voyage^ Vol. i. p. 30 1. It is curious
to obferve, at what immenfe diftances this mode of receiving ftrangers prevails. Padillo,
who failed from Manilla in 1710, on a voyage to difeover the Palaos Iflands, was thus re-
ceived there. The writer of the relation of his voyage fays, “ AulTitot qu’ils appro-
« cherent de notre bord, Ils fe mirent a chanter. Ils regloient la cadence, en frappant
“ des mains fur leurs cuifles.”
Lettres Edifantes Curicufes, Tom. xv. p. 323.
tude
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
tude between a Iheep or goat, and any winged animal.
But thefe people feemed to know nothing of the exiftence
of any other land-animals, belides hogs, dogs, and birds.
Our flieep and goats, they could fee, were very different
creatures from the two firft, and therefore they inferred,
that they muft belong to the latter clafs, in which they
knew there is a confiderable variety of fpecies. I made a
prefent to my new friend of w^hat I thought might be mod:
acceptable to him ; but, on his going away, he feemed ra-
ther difappointed than pleafed. I afterward underftood
that he was very delirous of obtaining a dog, of which
animal this ifland could not boaft, though its inhabitants
knew that the race exifled in other iflands of their ocean.
Captain Gierke had received the like prefent, with the fame
view, from another man, who met with from him the like
difappointment .
The people in thefe canoes were in general of a middling
lize, and not unlike thofe of Mangeea ; though feveral
were of a blacker call than any we faw there. Their hair
was tied on the crown of the head, or flowing loofe about
the fhoulders ; and though in fome it was of a frizzling
difpofition, yet, for the mofl part, that, as well as the
flraight fort, was long. Their features were various, and
fome of the young men rather handfome. Like thofe of
Mangeea, they had girdles of glazed cloth, or fine matting,
the ends of which, being brought betwixt their thighs, co-
vered the adjoining parts. Ornaments, compofed of a fort
of broad grafs, flained with red, and ftrung with berries of
the night-fliade, were worn about their necks. Their ears
were bored, but not flit ; and they were puncSlured upon
the legs, from the knee to the heel, wLich made them ap-
pear as if they wore a kind of boots. They alfo refembled
the
iS'j
1777.
April.
184
A VOYAGE TO
1777. the inhabitants of Mangeea in the length of their beards,
f . and, like them, wore a fort of fandals upon their feet.
Their behaviour was frank and cheerful, with a great deal
of good-nature.
At three o’clock in the afternoon, Mr. Gore returned
with the boat, and informed me, that he had examined all
the Weft ftde of the ifland, without finding a place where
a boat could land, or the ftiips could anchor, the fliore be-
ing every where bounded by a fteep coral rock, againft
which the fea broke in a dreadful furf. But as the na-
tives feemed very friendly, and to exprefs a degree of dif-
appointment when they faw that our people failed in their
attempts to land, Mr. Gore was of opinion, that by means
of Omai, who could heft explain our requeft, they might
be prevailed \Tpon to bring off to the boats, beyond the
furf, fuch articles as we moft wanted ; in particular, the
ftems of plantain trees, which make good food for the
cattle. Having little or no wind, the delay of a day or two
was not of any moment ; and therefore I determined to try
the experiment,’ and got every thing ready againft the next
morning.
Thurfday 5. Soon after day-break, we obferved fome canoes coming
off to the fliips, and one of them diredfed its courfe to the
Refolution. In it was a hog, with fome plantains and
cocoa nuts, for which the people, who brought them, de-
manded a dog from us, and refufed every other thing that
we offered in exchange. One of our gentlemen on board,
happened to have a dog and a bitch, which were great
nuifances in the fliip, and might have been difpofed of on
this occafion for a purpofe of real utility, by propagating a
race of fo ufeful an animal in this ifland. But their owner
had no fuch views, in making them the companions of his
voyage.
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
185
voyage. However, to gratify thefe people, Omai parted 1777.
with a favourite dog he had brought from England ; and . .
with this acquilition they departed highly fatisfied.
About ten* o’clock, I difpatched- Mr. Gore with three
boats, two from the Refolution, and one from the Difco-
very, to try the experiment he had propofed. And, as I
could confide in his diligence and ability, I left it entirely to
himfelf, to a(fi: as, from circumftances, he fliould judge to
be mofl: proper. Two of the natives, who had been on
board, accompanied him, and Omai went with him in his
boat as an interpreter. The fliips being a full league from
the ifiand when the boats put off, and having but little
wind, it was noon before we could work up to it. We then
faw our three boats riding at their grapplings, juft; without
the furf, and a prodigious number of the natives on the
fliore, abreaft of them. By this we concluded, that Mr.
Gore, and others of our people, had landed, and our impa-
tience to know the event may be eafily conceived. In order
to obferve their motions, and to be ready to give them fuch
afliftance as they might want, and our refpedtive fituations
would admit of, I kept as near the fliore as was prudent. I
was fenfible, however, that the reef was as effecftual a bar-
rier between us and our friends who had landed, and put
them as much beyond the reach of our proteft ion, as if half
the circumference of the globe had intervened. But the
iflanders, it was probable, did not know this fo well as we
did. Some of them, now and then, came off to the fliips in
their canoes, with a few cocoa nuts ; which they exchanged
for whatever was offered to them, without feeming to give
the preference to any particular article.
Thefe occafional vifits ferved to leffen my folicitude about
our people who had landed. Though we could get no in-
Vo l. 1. B b formation
A VOYAGE TO
1 86
1777,
April.
formation from our vifiters ; yet their venturing on board
feemed to imply, at lead:, that their countrymen on lliore
had not made an improper ufe of the confidence put in
them. At length, a little before fun-fet, we had the fatisfac-
tion of feeing the boats put off. When they got on board,
I found that Mr. Gore himfelf, Omai, Mr. Anderfon, and
Mr. Burney, were the only perfons who had landed. The
tranfa(ffions of the day were now fully reported to me by
Mr. Gore ; but Mr. Anderfon’s account of them being very
particular, and including fome remarks on the ifland and
its inhabitants, I fliall give it a place here, nearly in his own
words.
“We rowed toward a fmall fandy beach, upon which,
and upon the adjacent rocks, a great number of the natives
had aflembled ; and came to an anchor within a hundred
yards of the reef, which extends about as far, or a little
farther, from the fliore. Several of the natives fwam off,
bringing cocoa nuts ; and Omai, with their countrymen,
whom we had with us in the boats, made them fenfible of
our wifii to land. But their attention was taken up, for a
little time, by the dog, which had been carried from the
Blip, and was juft brought on fliore, round whom they
flocked with great eagernefs. Soon after, two canoes came
off; and, to create a greater confidence in the iflanders, we
determined to go unarmed, and run the hazard of being
treated well or ill.
Mr. Burney, the firft Lieutenant of the Difcovery, and
I, went in one canoe, a little time before the other ; and our
conducftors, watching attentively the motions of the furf,
landed us fafely upon the reef. An illander took hold of
each of us, obvioufly with an intention to fupport us in
walking, over the rugged rocks, to the beach, where feveral
of
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
187
of the others met us, holding the green boughs, of a fpe- 1777.
cies of Mmtofa, in their hands, and faluted us by applying .
their nofes to ours.
We were conducSted from the beach by our guides,
amidft a great crowd of people, who flocked with very
eager curiolity to look at us ; and would have prevented our
proceeding, had not fome men, who feemed to have autho-
rity, dealt blows, with little diftindlion, amongft them, to
keep them off. We were then led up an avenue of cocoa-
palms ; and foon came to a number of men, arranged in
two rows, armed with clubs, which they held on their
fhoulders, much in the manner we reft a mufquet. After
Avalking a little way amongft thefe, Ave found a perfon
who feemed a Chief, fitting on the ground crofs-legged,
cooling himfelf with a fort of triangular fan, made from
a leaf of the cocoa-palm, with a polifli^d handle, of black
wood, fixed to one corner. In his ears Avere large bunches
of beautiful red feathers, Avhich pointed forward. But he
had no other mark, or ornament, to diftinguifli him from
the reft of the people ; though they all obeyed him Avith
the greateft alacrity. He either naturally had, or at this
time put on, a ferious, but not fevere countenance ; and Ave
Avere defired to falute him as he fat, by fome people Avho
feemed of confequence.
We proceeded ftill amongft the men armed AAdth clubs,
and came to a fecond Chief, who fat fanning himfelf, and
ornamented as the firft. He Avas remarkable for his flze,
and uncommon corpulence, though, to appearance, not
aboA'e thirty years of age. In the fame manner, Ave AA^ere
condudted to a third Chief, who feemed older than the tAVo
former, and, though not fo fat as the fecond, AA^^as of a large
fize. He alfo AA'as fitting, and adorned AA'ith red feathers ;
B b 2 and
i88
A VOYAGE TO
1777. and after fainting him as we had done the others, he de-
, lired ns both to lit down. Which we were very willing to
do, being pretty well fatigned with walking np, and with
the excellive heat we felt amongll the vail crowd that fnr-
ronnded ns.
In a few minntes, the people were ordered to feparate ;
and we faw, at the diftance of thirty yards, abont twenty
yonng women, ornamented as the Chiefs, with red fea-
thers, engaged in a dance, which they performed to a flow
and ferions air, fnng by them all. We got np, and went
forward to fee them ; and thongh we mnft have been
ftrange objects to them, they continued their dance, with-
out paying the leall attention to us. They feemed to be
directed by a man who ferved as a prompter, and mentioned
each motion they were to make. But they never changed
the fpot, as we do in dancing, and though their feet were
not at reft, this exercife conlifted more in moving the fingers
very nimbly, at the fame time holding the hands in a prone
pofition near the face, and now and then alfo clapping them
together ’ib Their motions and fong were performed in
fuch exaft concert, that it fhould feem they had been taught
with great care ; and probably they were felecfted for this
ceremony, as few of thofe whom we faw in the crowd
equalled them in beauty. In general, they were rather
ftout than flender, with black hair flowing in ringlets down
the neck, and of an olive complexion. Their features were,
rather, fuller than what we allow to perfect beauties, and
much alike ; but their eyes were of a deep black, and each
* The dances of the inhabitants of the Caroline Iflands, have a great refemblance to
thofe here defcribed. See Lettres Ed'if. et Curieufes^ Tom. xv. p. 315. See alfo, in the
fame volume, p. 207. what is faid of the fmging and dancing of the inhabitants of the
Palaos Iflands, which belong to the fame group.
countenance
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
189
countenance exprelTed a degree of complacency and mo- 1777.
defty, peculiar to the fex in every part of the world ; but . .
perhaps more confpicuous here, where Nature prefented us
with her producfdions in the fulleft perfe6lion, unbiaffed in
fentiment by cuftom, or unreftrained in manner by art.
Their fliape and limbs were elegantly formed. For, as
their drefs conlifted only of a piece of glazed cloth faftened
about the waift, and fcarcely reaching fo low as the knees,
in many we had an opportunity of obferving every part.
This dance was not finiflied, when we heard a noife, as if
fome horfes had been galloping toward us ; and, on looking
alide, we faw the people armed with clubs, who had been
delired, as we fuppofed, to entertain us with the light of
their manner of fighting. This they now did, one party
purfuing another who fled.
As we fuppofed the ceremony of being introduced to the
Chiefs was at an end, we began to look about for Mr. Gore
and Omai ; and, though the crowd would hardly fufler us
to move, we at length found them coming up, as much in-
commoded by the number of people as we had been, and
introduced in the fame manner to the three Chiefs, whofe
names were Otteroo, Taroa, and Fatouweera. Each of
thefe expe6ted a prefent ; and Mr. Gore gave them fuch
things as he had brought with him from the fliip, for that
purpofe. After this, making ufe of Omai as his interpre-
ter, he informed the Chiefs with what intention we had
come on fhore ; but was given to underhand, that he muft
wait till the next day, and then he fliould have what was
wanted.
They now feemed to take fome pains to feparate us from
each other ; and every one of us had his circle to furround
and gaze at him. For my own part, I was, at one time,
above
A VOYAGE TO
190
1777-
April.
above an hour apart from my friends ; and when I told the
Chief, with whom 1 fat, that I wanted to fpeak to Omai, he
peremptorily refufed my requeft. At the fame time, I
found the people began to ileal feveral trifling things which
I had in my pocket ; and when I took the liberty of com-
plaining to tho Chief of this treatment, he juitified it. From
thefe circumilances,^ I now entertained appreheniions, that
they might have formed the defign of detaining us amongft
them. They did not, indeed, feem to be of a difpoiition fo
favage, as to make us anxious for the fafety of our perfons ;
but it was, neverthelefs, vexing to think, we had hazarded
being detained by their curioiity. In this iituation, I afked
for fomething to eat ; and they readily brought to me fome
cocoa-nuts, bread-fruit, and a fort of four pudding, which
was prefented by a woman. And on my complaining much
of the heat, occafioned by the crowd, the Chief himfelf
condefcended to fan me, and gave me a fmall piece of cloth,
which he had round his wailf .
Mr. Burney happening to come to the place where I was,
I mentioned my fufpicions to him; and, to put it to the
tell, whether they were well-founded, we attempted to get
to the beach. But we were flopped, when about half-way,
by fome men, who told us, that we mufl go back to the
place which we had left. On coming up, we found Omai
entertaining the fame appreheniions. But he had, as he
fancied, an additional reafon for being afraid ; for he had
obferved, that they had dug a hole in the ground for an
oven, which they were now heating ; and he coidd aflign no
other reafon for this, than that they meant to roall, and eat
us, as is pradlifed by the inhabitants of New Zealand. Nay,
he went fo far as to afk them the queftion ; at which they
were greatly furprized, afking, in return, whether that was
a cuflom
THEPACIFICOCEAN. 191
a cuftom with us ? Mr. Burney and I were rather angry 1777.
that they lliould be thus fufpe6led by him ; there having, . ,
as yet, been no appearances, in their condu(5l toward us, of
their being capable of fuch brutality.
In this manner we were detained the greateft part of the
day, being fometimes together, and fometimes feparated ;
but always in a crowd ; who, not fatisfied with gazing at
us, frequently defired us to uncover parts of our fkin ; the
fight of which commonly produced a general murmur of
admiration. At the fame time they did not omit thefe op-
portunities of rifling our pockets ; and, at laft, one of them
fnatched a fmall bayonet from Mr. Gore, which hung in its
flieath by his flde. This was reprefented to the Chief,
who pretended to fend fome perfon in fearch of it. But, in
all probability, he countenanced the theft ; for, foon after,
Omai had a dagger ftolen from his flde, in the fame man-
ner ; though he did not mifs it immediately.
Whether they obferved any flgns of uneaflnefs in us, or
that they voluntarily repeated their emblems of friendfhip
when we exprefled a deflre to go, I cannot tell ; but, at this
time, they brought fome green boughs, and, flicking their
ends in the ground, defired w^e might hold them as we fat.
Upon our urging again the buflnefs we came upon, they
gave us to underftand, that we mull flay and eat with
them ; and a pig which we faw, foon after, lying near the
oven, which they had prepared and heated, removed Omai’s
apprehenflon of being put into it himfelf ; and made us
think it might be intended for our repafl. The Chief alfo
promifed to fend fome people to procure food for the cattle ;
but it was not till pretty late in the afternoon, that we faw
them return with a few plantain-trees, which they carried
to our boats.
In
In the mean time, Mr. Burney and I attempted again to
go to the beach; but when we arrived, found ourfelves
Avatched by people, who, to appearance, had been placed
there for this purpofe. For when I tried to wade in upon
the reef, one of them took hold of my clothes, and dragged
me back. I picked up fome fmall pieces of coral, which
they required me to throw down again; and, on my refu-
fal, they made no fcruple to take them forcibly from me.
I had gathered fome fmall plants ; but thefe alfo I could not
be permitted to retain. And they took a fan from Mr.
Burney, which he had received as a prefent on coming
afliore. Omai faid, we had done wrong in taking up any
thing; for it was not the cuftom here to permit freedoms of
that kind to ftrangers, till they had, in fome meafure, na-
turalized them to the country, by entertaining them with
fehivity for two or three days.
Finding that the only method of procuring better treat-
ment was to yield implicit obedience to their will, we went
up again to the place we had left ; and they now promifed,
that we fliould have a canoe to carry us off to our boats,
after we had eaten of a repaft which had been prepared
for us.
Accordingly, the fecond Chief, to whom we had been in-
troduced in the morning, having feated himfelf upon a low
broad ftool of blackiili hard wood, tolerably poliflied, and
directing the multitude to make a pretty large ring, made
us lit down by him. A conliderable number of cocoa-nuts
were now brought ; and, fliortly after, a long green bafket,
with a fufhcient quantity of baked plantains to have ferved
a dozen perfons. A piece of the young hog, that had been
drelfed, was then fet before each of us, of which we were
defired to eat. Our appetites, however, had failed, from
the
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
193
the fatigvie of the day ; and though we did eat a little to 1777.
pleafe them, it was without fatisfacSlion to ourfelves.
It being now near fun-fet, we told them it was time to
go on board. This they allowed ; and fent down to the
beach the remainder of the vidfuals that had been dreffed,
to be carried with us to the fliips. But, before we fet out,
Omai was treated with a drink he had been ufed to in his
own country ; which, we obferved, was made here, as at
other illands in the South Sea, by chewing the root of a
fort of pepper. We found a canoe ready to put us off to
our boats ; which the natives did, with the fame caution
as when we landed. But, even here, their thievilh difpo-
lition did not leave them. For a perfon of fome confe-
quence among them, who came with us, took an opportu-
nity, juft as they were puftiing the canoe into the furf, to
fnatch a bag out of her, which I had, with the greateft
difficulty, preferved all the day ; there being in it a fmall
pocket-piftol, which I was umvilling to part with. Per-
ceiving him, I called out, expreffing as much difpleafure as
I could. On which he thought proper to return, and fwim
with the bag to the canoe ; but denied he had ftolen it,
though detected in the very a6t. They put us on board
our boats, with the cocoa-nuts, plantains, and other provi-
ftons, which they had brought ; and we rowed to the fliips,
very well pleafed that we had at laft got out of the hands of
our troublefome mafters.
W e regretted much, that our reftrained fltuation gave us
fo little opportunity of making obfervations on the country.
For, during the whole day, we were feldom a hundred
yards from the place where we were introduced to the
Chiefs on landing ; and, confequently, were confined to the
furrounding objects. The firft thing that prefented itfelf,
VoL. I. C c worthy
194
A VOYAGE TO
^7l7-
April,
worthy of oiir notice, was the number of people ; which muft
have been, at leaft, two thoufand. For thofe who welcomed
us on the fliore, bore no proportion to the multitude we
found amongfl the trees, on proceeding a little way up.
We could alfo obferve, that, except a few, thofe we had
hitherto feen on board, were of the lower clafs. For a great
number of thofe we now met with, had a fuperior dignity
in their air, and were of a much whiter call. In general,
they had the hair tied on the crown of the head, long,
black, and of a moft luxuriant growth. Many of the
young men were perfecfl models in lliape, of a complexion
as delicate as that of the women, and, to appearance, of a
difpohtion as amiable. Others, who were more advanced
in years, were corpulent ; and all had a remarkable fmooth-
nefs of the fkin. Their general drefs was a piece of cloth,
or mat, wrapped about the wailf, and covering the parts
which modefty conceals. But fome had pieces of mats,
moll curioully varied with black and white, made into a fort
of jacket without lleeves ; and others wore conical caps of
cocoa-nut core, neatly interwoven with fmall beads, made
of a fhelly fubllance. Their ears were pierced ; and in them
they hung bits of the membraneous part of fome plant, or
Buck there an odoriferous flower, which feemed to be a
fpecies of gardenia. Some, who were of a fuperior clafs, and
alfo the Chiefs, had two little balls, with a common bafe,
made from the bone of fome animal, which was hung
round the neck, with a great many folds of fmall cord.
And after the ceremony of introduction to the Chiefs was
over, they then appeared without their red feathers ; which
are certainly conlidered here as a particular mark of dif-
tinClion ; for none but themfelves, and the young women
who danced, aflumed them.
Some
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
195
Some of the men were pumStured all over the fides and 1777.
back in an uncommon manner ; and fome of the women . .
had the fame ornament on their legs. But this method was
confined to thofe who feemed to be of a fuperior rank ; and
the men, in that cafe, were alfo generally diftinguiflied by
their fize and corpulence, unlefs very young. The women
of an advanced age had their hair cropped fliort; and many
were cut, in oblique lines, all over the fore-part of the body ;
and fome of the wounds, which formed rhomboidal figures,
had been fo lately inflidled, that the coagulated blood ftill
remained in them.
The wife of one of the Chiefs appeared with her child,
laid in a piece of red cloth, which had been prefented to
her hufband; and feemed to carry it with great tender-
nefs, fuckling it much after the manner of our women.
Another Chief introduced his daughter, who was young
and beautiful; but appeared with all the timidity natu-
ral to the fex ; though file gazed on us with a kind of an-
xious concern, that feemed to ftruggle with her fear, and
to exprefs her aftonifhment at fo unufual a fight. Others
advanced with more firmnefs, and, indeed, were lefs re-
ferved than we expelled ; but behaved with a becoming
modefiy. We did not obferve any perfonal deformities
amongfi: either fex; except in a few who had fears of
broad fuperficial ulcers, remaining on the face and other
parts. In proportion to the number of people afiembled,
there appeared not many old men or women ; which may
eafily be accounted for, by fuppofing that fuch as were
in an advanced period of life, might neither have the
inchnation, nor the ability, to come from the more diftant /
parts of the illand. On the other hand, the children
were numerous ; and both thefe, and the men, climbed
C c 2 the
196
A VOYAGE TO
1777. the trees to look at us, when we were hid by the furround-
. ing crowd.
About a third part of the men were armed with clubs and
fpears ; and, probably, thefe were only the perfons who
had come from a diftance, as many of them had fmall baf-
kets, mats, and other things, faftened to the ends of their
weapons.- The clubs were generally about lix feet long,
made of a hard black wood, lance-fliaped at the end, but
much broader, with the edge nicely fcolloped, and the
whole neatly poliflied. Others of them were narrower at
the point, much fliorter, and plain; and fome were even
fo fmall, as to be ufed with one hand. The fpears were
made of the fame wood, fimply pointed ; and, in general,
above twelve feet long; though fome were fo diort, that
they feemed intended to be thrown as darts.
The place where we were all the day, was under the
fliade of various trees ; in which they preferved their ca-
noes from the fun. About eight or ten of them were here,
all double ones ; that is, two lingle ones fattened toge-
ther (as is ufual, throughout the whole extent of the Pacific
Ocean), by rafters lafhed acrofs. They were about twenty
feet long, about four feet deep, and the fides rounded with
a plank raifed upon them, which was fattened ttrongly by
means of withes. Two of thefe canoes were mott curioufly
ttained, or painted, all over with black, in numberlefs fmall
figures ; as fquares, triangles, &c. and excelled, by far,
any thing of that kind I had ever feen at any other ifland
in this ocean. Our friends here, indeed, feemed to have ex-
erted more fkill in doing this, than in punduring their own
' bodies. The paddles were about four feet long, nearly ellip-
tical; but broader at the upper end than the middle. Near
the fame place was a hut or flied, about thirty feet long,
and
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
197
and nine or ten high ; in which, perhaps, thefe boats are
built ; but, at this time, it was empty.
The greateft number of the trees around us were cocoa-
palms ; fome forts of hibijcus ; a fpecies of euphorbia ; and,
toward the fea, abundance of the fame kind of trees we
had feen at Mangeea Nooe Nainaiwa; and which feemed
to furround the fliores of this ifland in the fame manner.
They are tall and flender, not much unlike a cyprefs ; but
with bunches of long, round, articulated leaves. The na-
tives call them etoa. On the ground we faw fome grafs ;
a fpecies of convolvulus ; and a good deal of treacle-mujiard^
There are alfo, doubtlefs, other fruit-trees and ufeful plants
which we did not fee. For, befdes feveral forts of plan-
tains^ they brought, at different times, roots which they
call taro (the coccos of other countries); a bread-fruit;
and a bafket of roafted nuts, of a kidney -fhape, in tafte
like a chefnut, but coarfer.
What the foil of the illand may be, farther inland, we
could not tell. But, toward the fea, it is nothing more
than a bank of coral, ten or twelve feet high, fteep, and
rugged ; except where there are fmall fandy beaches, at
fome clefts where the afcent is gradual. The coral, though
it has, probably, been expofed to the weather for many
centuries, has undergone no farther change than becom-
ing black on the furface ; which, from its irregularity, is
not much unlike large maffes of a burnt fubftance. But,
on breaking fome pieces off, we found, that, at the depth
of two or three inches, it was juft as frefli as the pieces that
had been lately thrown upon the beach by the waves. The
reef or rock, that lines the fhore entirely, runs to different
breadths into the fea, where it ends, all at once, and be-
comes like a high, fteep wall. It is, nearly, even with the
furface
198
A VOYAGE TO
furface of the water, and of a brown or brick colour ; but
April. ^ texture is rather porous, yet fufhcient to withftand the
wafliing of the furf which continually breaks upon it.”
Though the landing of our Gentlemen proved the means
of enriching my Journal with the foregoing particulars,
the principal object I had in view was, in a great meafure,
unattained ; for the day was fpent without getting any one
thing from the illand worth mentioning. The natives,
however, were gratified with a fight they never before had ;
and, probably, will never have again. And mere curiofity
feems to have been their chief motive for keeping the
gentlemen under fuch reftraint, and for ufing every art to
prolong their continuance amongft them.
It has been mentioned, that Omai was fent upon this ex-
pedition ; and, perhaps, his being Mr. Gore’s interpreter
was not the only fervice he performed this day. He was
alked, by the natives, a great many queftions concerning
us, our fliips, our country, and the fort of arms we ufed ;
and, according to the account he gave me, his anfwers were
not a little upon the marvellous. As, for inftance, he told
them, that our country had fliips as large as their ifland ; on
board which were inftruments of war (defcribing our guns),
of fuch dimenfions, that feveral people might fit within
them ; and that one of them was fufficient to crufli the
whole ifland at one fliot. This led them to inquire of him,
what fort of guns we a6lually had in our two fliips. He
faid, that though they were but fmall, in comparifon with
thofe he had jufl defcribed, yet, with fuch as they were, we
could, with the greateft eafe, and at the diftance the fliips
were from the fliore, deftroy the ifland, and kill every foul
in it. They perfevered in their inquiries, to know by
what means this could be done ; and Omai explained the
matter
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
199
matter as well as he could. He happened luckily to have a ,777.
few cartridges in his pocket. Thefe he produced; the
balls, and the gunpowder which was to fet them in motion,
were fubmitted to infpe(5lion ; and, to fupply the defe(5ls of
his defcription, an appeal was made to the fenfes of the
fpe6lators. It has been mentioned above, that one of the
Chiefs had ordered the multitude to form themfelves into
a circle. This furniflied Omai with a convenient ftage for
his exhibition. In the centre of this amphitheatre, the in-
confiderable quantity of gunpowder, collected from his
cartridges, was properly difpofed upon the ground, and,
by means of a bit of burning wood from the oven, where
dinner was drefling, fet on fire. The fudden blaft, and
loud report, the mingled flame and fmoke, that inftantly
fucceeded, now filled the whole aflembly with aftonifli-
ment ; they no longer doubted the tremendous power of our
weapons, and gave full credit to all that Omai had faid.
If it had not been for the terrible ideas they conceived
of the guns of our fliips, from this fpecimen of their mode
of operation, it was thought that they would have detained
the gentlemen all night. For Omai afiured them, that, if
he and his companions did not return on board the fame
day, they might expert that I would fire upon the ifland.
And as we flood in nearer the land in the evening, than
we had done any time before, of which pofition of the
lliips they were obferved to take great notice, they, proba-
bly, thought we were meditating this formidable attack ;
and, therefore, fuffered their guefls to depart ; under the
expectation, however, of feeing them again on fliore next
morning. But I was too fenfible of the rifk they had al-
ready run, to think of a repetition of the experiment.
This day, it feems, was deflined to give Omai more oc-
cafions
200
A. VOYAGE TO
777. Gallons than one, of being brought forward to bear a prin-
_ . cipal part in its tranfadfions. The illand, though never
before vilited by Europeans, adfually happened to have
other ftrangers reliding in it ; and it was entirely owing to
Omai’s being one of Mr. Gore’s attendants, that this cu-
rious circumllance came to our knowledge.
Scarcely had he been landed upon the beach, when he
found, amongft the crowd there alTembled, three of his own
countrymen, natives of the Society Illands. At the diftance
of about two hundred leagues from thofe illands, an im-
menfe, unknown ocean intervening, with fuch wretched
fea-boats as their inhabitants are known to make ufe of,
and fit only for a palfage where light of land is fcarcely
ever loft, fuch a meeting, at fuch a place, fo accidentally
vilited by us, may well be looked upon as one of thofe un-
expedted lituations, with which the writers of feigned ad-
ventures love to furprize their readers, and which, when
they really happen in common life, deferve to be recorded
for their lingularity.
It may ealily be guefted, with what mutual furprize and
fatisfadlion Omai and his countrymen engaged in converfa-
tion. Their ftory, as related by them, is an affedting one.
About twenty perfons in number, of both fexes, had em-
barked on board a canoe at Otaheite, to crofs over to the
neighbouring illand Ulietea. A violent contrary wind aril-
ing, they could neither reach the latter, nor get back to the
former. Their intended paftage being a very fliort one,
their ftock of provilions was fcanty, and foon exhaufted.
The hardftiips they fuftered, while driven along by the
ftorm, they knew not whither, are not to be conceived.
They pafled many days without having any thing to eat or
drink. Their numbers gradually diminiflied, worn out by
! famine
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
201
famine and fatigue. Four men only furvived, when the 1777.
canoe overfet ; and then the perdition of this fmall rem-
nant feemed inevitable. However, they kept hanging by
the lide of their veffel, during fome of the laft days, till
Providence brought them in light of the people of this
illand, who immediately fent out canoes, took them off
their wreck, and brought them afliore. Of the four who
were thus faved, one was fince dead. The other three, who
lived to have this opportunity of giving an account of their
almoft miraculous tranfplantation, fpoke highly of the kind
treatment they here met with. And fo well fatisfied were
they with their fituation, that they refufed the offer made
to them by our gentlemen, at Omai’s requeft, of giving
them a paffage on board our fliips, to reflore them to their
native iflands. The fimilarity of manners and language,
had more than naturalized them to this fpot ; and the frefh
connexions which they had here formed, and which it
would have been painful to have broken off, after fuch a
length of time, fufhciently account for their declining to
revilit the places of their birth. They had arrived upon
this illand at leafl twelve years ago. For I learnt from Mr.
Anderfon, that he found they knew nothing of Captain
Wallis'’s vifit to Otaheite in 1765 ; nor of feveral other me-
morable occurrences, fuch as the conquefl of Ulietea by
thofe of Bolabola, which had preceded the arrival of the
Europeans. To Mr. Anderfon I am alfo indebted for their
names, Orououte, Otirreroa, and Tavee ; the firft, born at
Matavai in Otaheite; the fecond, at Ulietea; and the third
at Huaheine.
The landing of our gentlemen on this ifland, though
they failed in the objedl of it, cannot but be confidered as
a very fortunate circumftance. It has proved, as we have
VoL. I. D d feen,
202
A VOYAGE TO
1777. feen, the means of bringing to onr knowledge a matter of
. . fa6t, not only very curious, but very inftru6tive. The ap-
plication of the above narrative is obvious. It will ferve to
explain, better than a thoufand conje6tures of fpeculative
reafoners, how the detached parts of the earth, and, in
particular, how the illands of the South Sea, may have been
hrft peopled ; efpecially thofe that lie remote from any in-
habited continent, or from each other
This illand is called Wateeoo by the natives. It lies in
the latitude of 20° South, and in the longitude 201° 45^
Eaft, and is about fix leagues in circumference. It is a
beautiful fpot, with a furface compofed of hills and plains,
and covered with verdure of many hues. Our gentlemen
found the foil, where they pafled the day, to be light and
fandy. But farther up the country, a different fort, per-
haps, prevails ; as we faw from the fliip, by the help of
our giaffes, a reddifli caft upon the rifing grounds. There
* Such accidents as this here related, probably happen frequently in the Pacific Ocean.
In 1696, two canoes, having on board thirty perfons of both fexes, were driven, by con-
trary winds and tempeftuous weather, on the ifle of Samal, one of the Philippines, after
being toft about at fea feventy days, and having performed a voyage, from an ifland called
by them Amorfot, 300 leagues to the Eaft of Samal. Five of the number who had em-
barked, died of tlie hardftiips fuffered during this extraordinary paflage. See a particular
account of them, and of the iflands they belonged to, in Lettres Edifiantes CurieufeSy
Tom. XV. from p. 196. to p. 215. In the fame Volume, from p. 282. to p. 320. we
have the relation of a fimilar adventure, in 1721, when two canoes, one containing twen-
ty-four, and the other fix perfons, men, women, and children, were driven, from an ifland
they called Farroilep, Northward to the Ifle of Guam, or Guahan, one of the Ladrones
or Mariannes. But thefe had not failed fo far as their countrymen, who reached Samal
as above, and they had been at fea only twenty days. There feems to be no reafon to
doubt the general authenticity of thefe two relations. The information contained in the
letters of the Jefuits, about thefe iflands, now known under the name of the Carolines,
and difcovered to the Spaniards by the arrival of the canoes at Samal and Guam, has been
adopted by all our later writers. See Prefident de Brofle’s Voyages aux Terres AuJlraleSy
Tom. ii. from p. 443. to p. 490. See alfo the Modern Unlverfal Hijiory.
the
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
203
the inhabitants have their houfes; for we could perceive 1777.
two or three, which were long and fpacious. Its produce, . .
with the addition of hogs, we found to be the fame as at
the laft illand we had vifited, which the people of this, to
whom we pointed out its polition, called Owhavarouah ; a
name fo different from Mangeea Nooe Nainaiwa, which we
learnt from its own inhabitants, that it is highly probable
Owhavarouah is another illand.
From the circumftances already mentioned, it appears,
that Wateeoo can be of little ufe to any fliip that wants re-
frelliment, unlefs in a cafe of the mod: abfolute neceffity.
The natives, knowing now the value of fome of our com-
modities, might be induced to bring off fruits and hogs, to
a fhip Handing off and on, or to boats lying off the reef, as
ours did. It is doubtful, however, if any frefh water could
be procured. For, though fome was brought, in cocoa nut
lliells, to the gentlemen, they were told, that it was at a
conliderable diftance ; and, probably, it is only to be met
with in fome ftagnant pool, as no running ft ream was any
where feen.
According to Omai’s report of what he learnt in conver-
fation with his three countrymen, the manners of thefe
iflanders, their method of treating ftrangers, and their ge-
neral habits of life, are much like thofe that prevail at
Otaheite, and its neighbouring ifles. Their religious cere-
monies and opinions are alfo nearly the fame. For, upon
feeing one man, who was painted all over of a deep black
colour, and inquiring the reafon, our gentlemen were told,
that he had lately been paying the laft good offices to a de-
ceafed friend ; and they found, that it was upon fimilar
occaffons, the women cut themfelves, as already mentioned.
From every circumftance, indeed, it is indubitable, that the
D d 2 natives
A VOYAGE TO
natives of Wateeoo fprnng, originally, from the fame flock,
which hath fpread itfelf fo wonderfully all over the im-
menfe extent of the South Sea. One would fuppofe, how-
ever, that they put in their claim to a more illuflrious ex-
traflion ; for Omai afTured us, that they dignified their
illand with the appellation of JVenooa no te Eatooa, that is,
A land of gods ; efteeming themfelves a fort of divinities,
and pofTeffed with the fpirit of the Eatooa. This wild en-
thufiaflic notion Omai feemed much to approve of, telling
us there were inflances of its being entertained at Otaheite ;
but that it was univerfally prevalent amongft the inhabi-
tants of Mataia, or Ofnaburg Illand.
The language fpoken at Wateeoo was equally well un-
derflood by Omai, and by our two New Zealanders. What
its peculiarities may be, when compared with the other
dialedls, I am not able to point out ; for, though Mr. An-
derfon had taken care to note down a fpecimen of it, the
natives, who made no diflin6lion of the objedls of their
theft. Hole the memorandum book..
CHAP.
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
205.
CHAP. IIL
Wenooa-ette, or Otakootaia-i vifited. — Account of that IJlandj
and of its Produce. — Hervefs Ifland^ or ’Perougge mou At-
tooa, found to be inhabited. — ’PranfaBions with the Natives.
— P’heir Perfons, Drefs, Language^ Canoes. — Fruitlefs At-
tempt to land there. — Reafons for bearing away for the
. Friendly Iflands. — Palmerjlon's IJland touched at. — Defcrip-
tion of the two Places where the Boats landed. — Refrejh-
ments obtained there. — ConjeBures on theForma.tion of fuch
low Iflands. — Arrival at the Friendly Iflands..
Light airs and calms having prevailed, by turns, all J777»
the night of the 3d, the Eafterly fwell had carried the t — —
fhips fome diftance from Wateeoo, before day-break. But Friday 4.
as I had failed in my object of procuring, at that place,
fome effecStual fupply, I faw no reafon for Haying there any
longer. I, therefore, quitted it, without regret, and fleered
for the neighbouring illand, which, as has been mentioned,
we difcovered three days before.
With a gentle breeze at Eaft, we got up with it, before
ten o’clock in the morning, and I immediately difpatched
Mr. Gore, with two boats, to endeavour to land, and get
fome food for our cattle. As there feemed to be no inha-
bitants here to obilru6l our taking away whatever we
might think proper, I was confident of his being able to
make amends for our late difappointment, if the landing
could be effedled. There was a reef here furrounding the
land,
2o6
A VOYAGE TO
land, as at Wateeoo, and a conliderable furf breaking
againft the rocks. Notwithftanding which, our boats no
fooner reached the lee, or Weft hde of the ifland, but they
ventured in, and Mr. Gore and his party got fafe on Ihore.
I could, from the fliip, fee that they had fucceeded fo far ;
and 1 immediately fent a fmall boat to know what farther
affiftance was wanting. She did not return till three o’clock
in the afternoon, having waited to take in a lading of what
ufeful produce the illand afforded. As foon as flie was
cleared, flie was fent again for another cargo ; the Jolly
boat was alfo difpatched, and Mr. Gore was ordered to be
on board, with all the boats, before night ; which was com-
plied wdth.
The fupply obtained here, confifted of about a hun-
dred cocoa nuts for each fliip ; and befldes this refrefli-
ment for ourfelves, we got for our cattle fome grafs, and a
quantity of the leaves and branches of young cocoa trees,
and of the wharra tree, as it is called at Otaheite, the pa7i-
danus of the Eafl: Indies. This latter being of a foft,
fpungy, juicy nature, the cattle eat it very w^ell, when
cut into fmall pieces ; fo that it might be faid, wdthout
any deviation from truth, that we fed them upon billet
wood.
This ifland lies in the latitude of 19° 51^ South, and the
longitude of 201° 37^ Eafl, about three or four leagues from
Wateeoo, the inhabitants of which called it Otakootaia ; and
fometimes they fpoke of it under the appellation of JVencoa-
ette^ which flgnifies little ifland. Mr. Anderfon, who was
on fliore with our party, and walked round it, gueffed that
it could not be much more than three miles in circuit.
From him I alfo learned the following particulars. The
beach, within the reef, is compofed of a white coral fand ;
above
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
207
above which, the land within does not rife above fix or
feven feet, and is covered with a light reddifli foil ; but is
entirely deftitute of water.
The only common trees found there were cocoa-palms,
of which there were feveral clufters ; and vaft numbers of
the wharra. There were, likewife, the callophyllum<i fu-
riana, guettarda^ a fpecies of tournefortia^ and taberna,
montan^e, with a few other flirubs ; and fome of the etoa
tree feen at Wateeoo. A fort of bind-weed over-ran the va-
cant fpaces ; except in fome places, where was found a
conhderable quantity of treacle-mujlard, a fpecies offpurge^
with a few other fmall plants, and the morinda citrifolia ;
the fruit of which is eaten by the natives of Otaheite in
times of fcarcity. Omai, who had landed with the party,
dreffed fome of it for their dinner ; but it proved very in-
different.
The only bird feen amongfl the trees, was a beautiful
cuckoo, of a chefnut brown, variegated with black, which
was fliot. But, upon the fliore, were fome egg-birds ; a
fmall fort of curlew ; blue and white herons ; and great
numbers of noddies ; which laft, at this time, laid their eggs,
a little farther up, on the ground, and often refled on the
wbarra tree.
One of our people caught a lizard, of a mofl forbidding
afpedl, though fmall, running up a tree ; and many, of an-
other fort, were feen. The bullies toward the fea, were
frequented by infinite numbers of a fort of moth, elegantly
fpeckled with red, black, and white. There were alfo fe-
veral other forts of moths, as well as fome pretty butter-
flies; and a few other infedls.
Though there were, at this time, no fixed inhabitants
upon the ifland, indubitable marks remained of its being,
at
1777.
April.
,h
2o8
A VOYAGE TO
1777. at leall, occafionally frequented. In particular, a few empty
, , huts were found. There were alfo feveral large ftones
ere6led, like monuments, under the lliade of fome trees ;
and feveral fpaces inclofed w ith fmaller ones ; where, pro-
bably, the dead had been buried. And, in one place, a
great many cockle-lliells, of a particular fort, finely groov-
ed, and larger than the fill:, were to be feen ; from which
it was reafonable to conjecture, that the ifland had beenvi-
fited by perfons who feed, partly, on fliell-fifli. In one of
the huts, Mr. Gore left a hatchet, and fome nails, to the full
value of what We took away.
As foon as the boats were hoifted in, I made fail again to
the Northward, with a light air of wind Eafterly ; intend-
ing to try our fortune at Hervey’s Illand, which was difco-
vered in 1773, during my lafi; voyage -^--. Although it was
not above fifteen leagues diftant, yet we did not get fight of
Sunday 6. it till day-break in the morning of the ’ 6th, when it bore
Well South Weft, at the diftance of about three leagues.
As we drew near it, at eight o’clock, we obferved feveral
canoes put off from the fliore ; and they came direcftly to-
ward the fliips. This was a fight that, indeed, furprized
me, as no figns of inhabitants were feen when the illand
was fir ft difcovered ; which might be owdng to a pretty
brifk wind that then blew, and prevented their canoes ven-
turing out, as the fliips pafled to leeward ; whereas now we
were to windward.
As we ftill kept on toward the ifland, fix or feven of the
canoes, aU double ones, foon came near us. There were,
from three to fix men, in each of them. They flopped at
the diftance of about a ftone’s throw from the fliip ; and it
* See Captain Cook’s Voyage, Vol. i. p. 190. where this ifland is faid to be about
fix leagues in circuit.
was
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
209
Was fome time before Omai could prevail upon them to 1777.
come along-lide ; but no entreaties could induce any of . .
them to venture on board. Indeed their diforderly and cla-
morous behaviour, by no means indicated a difpolition to
truft us, or treat us well. We afterward learnt that they
had attempted to take fome oars out of the Difcovery’s boat,
that lay along-lide, and ftruck a man who endeavoured to
prevent them. They alfo cut away, with a fliell, a net
with meat, which hung over that fliip’s Hern, and abfo-
lutely refufed to reftore it ; though we, afterward, pur-
chafed it from them. Thofe who were about our lliip, be-
haved in the fame daring manner ; for they made a fort of
hook, of a long ftick, with which they endeavoured, open-
ly, to rob us of feveral things ; and, at laft, adfually got a
frock, belonging to one of our people that was towing,
over-board. At the fame time, they immediately fliewed a
knowledge of bartering, and fold fome filli they had
(amongft which was an extraordinary flounder, fpotted like
porphyry ; and a cream-coloured eel, fpotted with black),
for fmall nails, of which they were immoderately fond, and
called them goore. But, indeed, they caught, with the
greateft avidity, bits of paper, or any thing elfe that w'as
thrown to them ; and if what was thrown fell into the fea,
they made no fcruple to fwim after it.
Thefe people feemed to differ as much in perfon, as in
difpolition, from the natives of Wateeoo; though the dif-
tance between the two iflands is not very great. Their co-
lour was of a deeper call ; and feveral had a fierce, rugged
afpe(5l, refembling the natives of New Zealand ; but fome
were fairer. They had llrong black hair, which, in general,
they wore either hanging loofe about the llioulders, or
tied in a bunch on the crown of the head. Some, however,
VoL. I. E e had
210
A VOYAGE TO
*777-
Apiil.
V.^ '
had it cropped pretty fliort ; and, in two or three of them,
it was of a brown, or reddifli colour. Their only covering
was a narrow piece of mat, wrapt feveral times round the
lower part of the body, and which palled between the
thighs ; but a fine cap of red feathers was feen lying in
one of the canoes. The Ihell of a pearl-oyfier poliflied,
and hung about the neck, was the only ornamental fafhion
that we obferved amongft them ; for not one of them had
adopted that mode of ornament, fo generally prevalent
amongft the natives of this Ocean, of puiufturing, or fa-
tooing their bodies.
Though lingular in this, we had the moft unequivocal
proofs of their being of the fame common race. Their
language approached ftill nearer to the dialecft of Otaheite,^
than that of Wateeoo, or Mangeea. Like the inhabitants
of thefe two illands, they inquired from whence our lliips
came ; and whither bound; who was our Chief; the num-
ber of our men on board ; and even the Ihip’s name. And
they very readily anfwered fuch queftions as we propofed
to them. Amongft other things, they told us, they had
feen two great lliips, like ours, before ; but that they had
not fpoken with them as they failed paft. There can be no
doubt, that thefe were the Refolution and Adventure. We
learnt from them, that the name of their ifland is Te-
rouggemou Atooa; and that they were fubje6l to Teere-
vatooeah, king of Wateeoo According to the account
that they gave, their articles of food are cocoa-nuts, fifti,
and turtle ; the illand not producing plantains, or bread-
fruit; and being deftitute of hogs and dogs. Their canoes,
of which near thirty were, at one time, in fight, are pretty
* I'he reader will obferve, that this name bears little affinity to any one of the names
of the three Chiefs of Wateeoo, as preferved by Mr. Anderfon.
large.
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
2II
large, and well built. In the conftru6tion of the hern, they 1777.
bear fome refemblance to thofe of Wateeoo ; and the head , ,
^ — f
projecSls out nearly in the fame manner ; but the extremity
is t turned up inftead of down.
Having but very little wind, it was one o’clock before we
<lrew near the North Weft part of the ill and ; the only part
where there feemed to be any probability of finding an-
chorage for our fliips, or a landing-place for our boats. In
this pofition, I fent Lieutenant King, with two armed boats,
to found and reconnoitre the coaft, while we ftood off and
on with the fliips. The inftant the boats were hoifted out,
our vifiters in the canoes, who had remained along-fide all
the while, bartering their little trifles, fufpended their traf-
fic, and, pufhing for the Ihore as faft as they could, came
near us no more.
At three o’clock, the boats returned ; and Mr. King in-
formed me, “ That there was no anchorage for the fliips ;
and that the boats could only land on the outer edge of the
reef, which lay about a quarter of a mile from the dry
land. He fiid, that a number of the natives came down
upon the reef, armed with long pikes and clubs, as if they
intended to oppofe his landing. And yet, when he drew
near enough, they threw fome cocoa-nuts to our people,
and invited them to come on fliore ; though, at the very
fame time, he obferved that the women were very bufy
bringing down a frelh fupply of fpears and darts. But, as
he had no motive to land, he did not give them an oppor-
tunity to ufe them.”
Having received this report, I confidered, that, as the
fliips could not be brought to an anchor, we fliould find
that the attempt to procure grafs here, would occafion much
delay, as well as be attended with fome danger. Befides,
E e 2 we
212
A VOYAGE TO
1777. we were equally in want of water ; and though the inha-
bitants had told us, that there was water on their ifland,
yet we neither knew in what quantity, nor from \vhat dif-
tance, we might be obliged to fetch it. And, after all,
fuppoling no other obftrucStion, we were fure, that to get
over the reef, would be an operation equally difficult and
tedious.
Being thus difappointed at all the iflands we had met
with, fince our leaving New Zealand, and the unfavour-
able winds, and other unforefeen circumftances, having
unavoidably retarded our progrefs fo much, it was now
impoffible to think of doing any thing this year, in the
high latitudes of the Northern hemifphere, from which
we were ftill at fo great a diftance, though the feafon for
our operations there was already begun. In this lituation,
it was abfolutely neceffary to purfue fuch meafures as were
moft likely to preferve the cattle we had on board, in the
firft place ; and, in the next place (which was ftill a more
capital objed:), to fave the Ifores and provilions of the ffiips,
that we might be better enabled to profecute our Northern
difcoveries, which could not now commence till a year
later than was originally intended.
If 1 had been fo fortunate as to have procured a fupply
of water, and of grafs, at any of the illands we had lately
vilited, it was my purpofe to have flood back to the South,
till I had met with a Wefterly wind. But the certain con-
fequence of doing this, without fuch a fupply, would have
been the lofs of all the cattle, before we could poffibly
reach Otaheite, without gaining any one advantage, with
regard to the great objedl of our voyage.
I, therefore, determined to bear away for the Friendly
Iflands, where I was fure of meeting with abundance of
every
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
213
every thing I wanted : and it being neceflary to run in the 1777-
night, as well as in the day, I ordered Captain Clerke to ■ >
keep about a league ahead of the Refolution. I ufed this
precaution, becaufe his fliip could heft claw off the land ;
and it was very poffible we might fall in with fome, in our
paflage.
The longitude of Hervey’s Ifland, when firfl; dilcovered,
deduced from Otaheite, by the time-keeper, was found to
be 201° 6' Eaft, and now, by the fame time-keeper, deduced
from Queen Charlotte’s Sound, 200° 56" Eaft. Hence I con-
clude, that the error of the time-keeper, at this time, did
not exceed twelve miles in longimde.
When we bore away, I fleered Weft by South, with a
fine breeze Eafterly. I propofed to j^roceed firft to Middle-
burgh, or Eooa ; thinking, if the wind continued favour-
able, that we had food enough on board, for the cattle, to
laft till we fliould reach that ifland. But, about noon, next
day, thofe faint breezes, that had attended and retarded us Monday 7.
fo long, again returned ; and I found it necelTary to haul
more to the North, to get into the latitude of Palmerfton’s
and Savage Illands, difcovered in 1774, during my laft voy-
age ; that, if neceflity required it, we might have re-
courfe to them.
This day, in order to fave our water, I ordered the ftill to
be kept at work, from fix o’clock in the morning to four
in the afternoon ; during which time, we procured from
thirteen to fixteen gallons of frefli water. There has been
lately made fome improvement, as they are pleafed to call
it, of this machine, which, in my opinion, is much for the
worfe.
Thefe light breezes continued till the loth, when we Thurfdayio.
* See Cook’s Voyage, Vol. ii. p. 2. 3.
had,
214
A VOYAGE TO
1777. had, for fome hours, the wind blowing frefli from the
, , North, and North North Weft ; being then in the lati-
tude of 18° 38', and longitude 198° 24^ Eaft, In the after-
noon, we had fome thunder fqualls from the South, at-
tended with heavy rain ; of which water we collecfted
enough to fill five puncheons. After thefe fqualls had
blown over, the wind came round to the North Eaft, and
North Weft ; being very unfettled both in ftrength and in
Friday II. pofition, till about noon the next day, when it fixed at
North Weft, and North North Weft, and blew a frefti
breeze, with fair weather.
Thus were we perfecuted with a wind in our teeth,
whichever way we dire61;ed our courfe ; and we had the
additional mortification to find here, thofe very winds,
which we had reafon to expert 8° or 10° farther South.
They came too late ; for I durft not truft their continuance ;
and the event proved that I judged right.
Sunday 13. At length, at day-break, in the morning of the 13th, we
faw Palmerfton Ifland, bearing Weft by South, diftant about
five leagues. However, we did not get up with it, till eight
Monday 14. o’clock the iiext moming. I then fent four boats, three
from the Refolution, and one from the Difcovery, with an
officer in each, to fearch the coaft for the moft convenient
landing-place. For, now, we were under an abfolute necef-
. fity of procuring, from this illand, fome food for the cattle ;
otherwife we muft have loft them.
What is comprehended under the name of Palmerfton’s
Ifland, is a group of fmall illots, of which there are, in
the whole, nine or ten, lying in a circular dire6tion, and
eonnecfted together by a reef of coral rocks. The boats firft
examined the South Eafternmoft of the iftots which com-
pofe this group ; and, failing there, ran down to the fecond,
where
THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 215
where w^e had the fatisfa6lion to fee them land. I then 1777.
bore down with the fliips, till abreaft of the place, and . .
there w^e kept handing off and on. For no bottom was to
be found to anchor upon ; which was not of much confe-
quence, as the party w ho had landed from our boats, were
the only human beings upon the ill and.
About one o’clock, one of the boats came on board, laden
with fcurvy-grafs and young cocoa-nut trees ; which, at
this time, was a feaft for the cattle. The fame boat
brought a meffage from Mr. Gore, who commanded the
party, informing me, that there was plenty of fuch pro-
duce upon the illand, as alfo of the wharra tree, and fome
cocoa-nuts. This determined me to get a good fupply
of thefe articles, before I quitted this ftation ; and, before
evening, I went afliore in a fmall boat, accompanied by
Captain Clerke.
We found every body hard at work, and the landing
place to be in a fmall creek, formed by the reef, of fome-
thing more than a boat’s length in every diredtion, and co-
vered from the force of the fea, by rocks projedting out on
each fide of it. The illand is fcarcely a mile in circuit ; and
not above three feet higher than the level of the fea. It
appeared to be compofed entirely of a coral fand, with a
fmall mixture of blackilh mould, produced from rotten ve-
getables. Notwithftanding this poor foil, it is covered with
trees and bullies of the fame kind as at Wenooa-ette, though
with lefs variety ; and amongft thefe are fome cocoa palms.
Upon the trees or bullies that front the fea, or even farther
in, w^e found a great number of men of war birds. Tropic
birds, and two forts of boobies, which, at this time, were
laying their eggs, and fo tame, that they fuffered us to take
them off w'ith our hands. Their neffs were only a few
flicks
2i6
A VOYAGE TO
1777. Hicks loofely put together ; and the Tropic birds laid their
. eggs on the ground, under the trees. Thefe differ much
from the common fort, being entirely of a moft fplendid
white, flightly tinged with red, and having the two long
tail-feathers of a deep crimfon or blood colour. Of each
fort, our people killed a conliderable number ; and, though
not the moft delicate food, they were acceptable enough to
us who had been long confined to a fait diet, and who,
confequently, could not but be glad of the moft indifferent
variety. We met with vaft numbers of red crabs, creeping
about, every where amongft the trees ; and we caught fe-
veral fifli that had been left in holes upon the reef, when
the fea retired.
At one part of the reef, which looks into, or bounds, the
lake that is within, there was a large bed of coral, almoft
even with the furface, which afforded, perhaps, one of the
moft enchanting profpecls, that Nature has, any where,
l^roduced. Its bafe was fixed to the fliore, but reached fo
far in, that it could not be feen ; fo that it feemed to be
fufpended in the water, which deepened fo fuddenly, that,
at the diftance of a few yards, there might be feven or
eight fathoms. The fea was, at this time, quite unruffled ;
and the fun, fliining bright, expofed the various forts of
coral, in the moft beautiful order ; fome parts branching
into the water with great luxuriance ; others lying col-
lected in round balls, and in various other figures ; all
which were greatly heightened by fpangles of the richeft
colours, that glowed from a number of large clams, which
were every where interfperfed. But the appearance of
thefe was ftill inferior to that of the multitude of fifties,
that glided gently along, feemingly with the moft perfect
fecurity. The colours of the different forts were the moft
beautiful
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
217
beautiful that can be imagined ; the yellow, blue, red, 1777-
black. See. far exceeding any thing that art can produce. . .
Their various forms, alfo, contributed to increafe the rich-
nefs of this fubmarine grotto, which could not be furveyed
without a pleafing tranfport, mixed, however, with regret,
that a work, fo ftupendoully elegant, fliould be concealed,
in a place where mankind could feldom have an oppor-
tunity of rendering the praifes juftly due to fo enchanting
a feene.
There were no traces of inhabitants having ever been
here ; if we except a fmall piece of a canoe that was
found upon the beach ; which, probably,' may have drifted
from fome other illand. But, what is pretty extraordi-
nary, we faw feveral fmall brown rats on this fpot ; a cir-
cumftance, perhaps, difficult to account for, unlefs we allow
that they were imported in the canoe of which we faw the
remains.
After the boats were laden, I returned on board, leaving
Mr. Gore, with a party, to pafs the night on fliore, in order
to be ready to go to work early the next morning.
That day, being the 15th, was accordingly fpent, as the Tuefdayi5.
preceding one had been, in collecSling, and bringing on
board, food for the cattle, confifting chiefly of palm-cab-
bage, young cocoa-nut trees, and the tender branches of
the zvharra tree. Having got a fufficient fupply of thefe,
by funfet, I ordered every body on board. But havinglittle
or no wind, I determined to wait, and to employ the next
day, by endeavouring to get fome cocoa-nuts for our peo-
ple, from the next illand to leeward, where we could ob-
ferve that thofe trees were in much greater abundance,
than upon that where we had already landed, and where
only the wants of our cattle had been relieved.
VoL. I. F f
With
2I8
A VOYAGE TO
1777. With this view, I kept handing oiF and on, all night ;
. . and, in the morning, between eight and nine o’clock, I
Wednef. 16. Went with the boats to the Weft fide of the ifland, and
landed with little difficulty. I immediately fet the people
with me to work, to gather cocoa-nuts, which we found in
great abundance. But to get them to our boats was a
tedious operation ; for we were obliged to carry them at
leaft half a mile over the reef, up to the middle in wa-
ter. Omai, who was with me, caught, with a fcoop net,
in a very ffiort time, as much fiffi as ferved the whole
party on ffiore for dinner, befides fending fome to both
Blips. Here were alfo great abundance of birds, particu-
larly men-of-war and Tropic birds ; fo that we fared fump-
tuoully. And it is but doing juftice to Omai to fay, that,
in thefe excurfions to the uninhabited iflands, he was of
the greateft ufe. For he not only caught the fiffi, but
dreflfed thefe, and the birds we killed, in an oven, with
heated ftones, after the fafliion of his country, with a
dexterity and good-humour that did him great credit. The
boats made two trips, before night, well laden ; with the
laft, I returned on board, leaving Mr. Williamfon, my
third Lieutenant, with a party of men, to prepare ano-
ther lading for the boats which I propofed to fend next
morning.
Thurfday 17. I, accordingly, difpatched them at feven o’clock, and they
returned laden by noon. No time was loft in fending them
back for another cargo ; and they carried orders for every
body to be on board by funfet. This being complied with,
we hoifted in the boats and made fail to the Weftward, with
a light air of wind from the North.
We found this illot near a half larger than the other, and
almoft entirely covered with cocoa-palms ; the greateft part
of
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
219
of wliich abounded with excellent nuts, having, often, both 1777.
old and young on the fame tree. They were, indeed, too . ,
thick, in many places, to grow wdth freedom. The other
produ6lions were, in general, the fame as at the other iflot.
Tw'o pieces of board, one of which was rudely carved, with
an elliptical paddle, were found on the beach. Probably,
thefe had belonged to the fame canoe, the remains of which
were feen on the other beach, as the two illots are not above
half a mile apart. A young turtle had alfo been lately
throw n alliore here, as it was hill full of maggots. There
w^ere fewer crabs than at the laft place ; but we found fome
fcorpions, a few other infedts, and a greater number of filh
upon the reefs. Amongft thefe were fome large eels, beau-
tifully fpotted, which, when followed, would raife them-
felves out of the water, and endeavour, with an open mouth,
to bite their purfuers. The other forts w^ere, chiefly, par-
rot-fifli, fnappers, and a brown fpotted rock-fifli, about the
flze of a haddock, fo tame, that inftead of fwimming away,
it would remain fixed, and gaze at us. Had we been in ab-
folute want, a fufficient fupply might have been had ; for
thoufands of the clams, already mentioned, ftuck upon the
reef, fome of which weighed two or three pounds. There
were, befldes, fome other forts of fliell-fifli ; particularly,
the large periwinckle. When the tide flowed, feveral fliarks
came in, over the reef, fome of which our people killed ;
but they rendered it rather dangerous to walk in the water
at that time.
The party w^ho were left on fhore with Mr. Williamfon,
were a good deal peftered (as Mr. Gore’s had been) with
mufquitoes, in the night. Some of them, in their excur-
flons, fliot two curlews, exacflly like thofe of England ; and
faw fome plovers, or fand-pipers, upon the fliore ; but, in
F f 2 the
220
A VOYAGE TO
1777. the wood, no other bird, befides one or two of the cuckoos
— that were feen at Wenooa-ette.
Upon the whole, we did not fpend our time unprofitably
at this laft illot ; for we got there about twelve hundred
cocoa-nuts, which were equally divided amongft the whole
crew ; and were, douhtlefs, of great ufe to them, both on
account of the juice and of the kernel. A fliip, therefore,
palling this way, if the weather be moderate, may expert
to fucceed as we did. But there is no water upon either of
the illots where we landed. Were that article to be had,
and a palTage could be got into the lake, as we may call
it, furrounded by the reef, where a lliip could anchor, I
lliould prefer this to any of the inhabited illands, if the
only want were refrelhment. For the quantity of filh
that might be procured, would be fuflicient ; and the peo-
ple might roam about, unmolelled by the petulance of any
inhabitants.
The nine or ten low illots, comprehended under the
name of Palmerfton’s Illand, may be reckoned the heads
or fummits of the reef of coral rock, that connedls them
together, covered only with a thin coat of fand, yet clothed,
as already obferved, with trees and plants, molt of which
are of the fame forts that are found on the low grounds of
the high Illands of this ocean.
There are dilferent opinions, amongft ingenious theorifts,
concerning the formation of fuch low illands as Palmer-
lion’s. Some wiU have it, that, in remote times, thefe little
feparate heads or illots were joined, and formed one conti-
nued and more elevated tra6l of land, which the fea, in the
revolution of ages, has waflied away, leaving only the
higher grounds ; which, in time, alfo, will, according to
this theory, lliare the fame fate. Another conjecture is,
that
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
221
that they have been thrown np by earthquakes, and are the 1777-
efFe6l of internal convullions of the globe. A third opi- .
nion, and which appears to me as the moll probable one,
maintains, that they are formed from flioals, or coral banks,
and, of confequence, increaling. Without mentioning the
feveral arguments made ufe of in fupport of each of thefe
fyftems, 1 fliall only defcribe fuch parts of Palmerlfon’s
Illand, as feU under my own obfervation when I landed
upon it.
The foundation is, every where, a coral rock ; the foil is
coral fand, with which the decayed vegetables have, but in
a few places, intermixed, fo as to form any thing like mould.
From this, a very ftrong prefumption may be drawn, that
thefe little fpots of land, are not of very ancient date, nor
the remains of larger iflands now buried in the ocean. For,
upon either of thefe fuppolitions, more mould mull have
been formed, or fome part of the original foil would have
remained. Another circumftance confirmed this doctrine
of the increafe of thefe illots. We found upon them, far
beyond the prefent reach of the fea, even in the mofi: vio-
lent ftorms, elevated coral rocks, which, on examination,
appeared to have been perforated, in the fame manner that
the rocks are, that now compofe the outer edge of the reef.
This evidently fliews, that the fea had formerly reached fo
far ; and fome of thefe perforated rocks were almofi; in the
centre of the land.
But the ftrongeft proof of the increafe, and from the
caufe we have afligned, was the gentle gradation obferv-
able in the plants round the ficirts of the illands ; from
within a few inches of high-water mark, to the edge of the
wood. In many places, the divifions of the plants, of dif-
ferent growths, were very difiinguiiliable, efpecially on the
lee.
A VOYAGE TO
1777. lee, or weft-fide. This I apprehend to have been the ope-
t . ration of extraordinary high tides, occalioned by violent,
accidental gales from the Weftward ; which have heaped
up the fand beyond the reach of common tides. The re-
gular and gentle operation of thefe latter, again, throw' up
fand enough to form a barrier againft the next extraordi-
nary high tide, or form, fo as to prevent its reaching as far
as the former had done, and deftroying the plants that may
have begun to vegetate from cocoa-nuts, roots, and feed
brought thither by birds, or thrown up by the fea. This,
doubtlefs, happens very frequently ; for we found many
cocoa-nuts, and fome other things, juft fprouting up, only
a few inches beyond where the fea reaches at prefent, in
places where, it was evident, they could not have had their
origin from thofe, farther in, already arrived at their full
growth. At the fame time, the increafe of vegetables will
add faft to the height of this new-created land ; as the fallen
leaves, and broken branches, are, in fuch a climate, foon
converted into a true black mould, or foil
Perhaps there is another caufe, which, if allowed, wiU
* Mr. Anderfon, in his Journal, mentions the following particulars, relative to Palmer-
fton’s Ifland, which ftrongly confirm Captain Cook’s opinion about its formation. “ On
the laft of the two ifiots, where we landed, the trees, being in great numbers, had al-
ready formed, by their rotten parts, little rifings or eminences, which, in time, from the
“ fame caufe, may become fmall hills. Whereas, on the firft iflot, the trees being lefs
“ numerous,.no fuch thing had, as yet, happened. Neverthelefs, on that little fpot, the
“ manner of formation was more plainly pointed out. For, adjoining to it, was a fmall
“ ifle, which had, doubtlefs, been very lately formed ; as it was not, as yet, covered with
“ any trees, but had a great many fhrubs, fome of which were growing among pieces of
“ coral that the fea had thrown up. There was ftill a more fure proof of this method of
“ formation a little farther on, where two patches of fand, about fifty yards long, and a
“ foot or eighteen inches high, lay upon the reef, but not, as yet, furnilhed with a fingle
“ bufti, or tree.”
accelerate
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
223
accelerate the increafe of thefe iflands as much as any other; 1777.
and will alfo account for the fea having receded from thofe . ,
elevated rocks before-mentioned. This is, the fpreading of
the coral bank, or reef, into the fea; which, in my opi-
nion, is continually, though imperceptibly, effedled. The
waves’ receding, as the reef grows in breadth and height,
leave a dry rock behind, ready for the reception of the
broken coral and fand, and every other depofit neceffary
for the formation of land fit for the vegetation of plants.
In this manner, there is little doubt, that, in time, the
whole reef will become one ifland ; and, I think, it wiU ex-
tend gradually inward, either from the increafe of the iflots
already formed ; or from the formation of new ones, upon
the beds of coral, within the inclofed lake, if once they in-
creafe fo as to rife above the level of the fea.
After leaving Palmerfton’s Ifland, I fleered Wefl, with a
view to make the befl of my way to Annamooka. We flill
continued to have variable winds, frequently between the
North and Wefl, with fqualls, fome thunder, and much
rain. During thefe fliowers, which were, generally, very
copious, we faved a confiderable quantity of water ; and
finding that we could get a greater fupply by the rain, in
one hour, than we could get by diflillation in a month, I
laid afide the flill, as a thing attended with more trouble
than profit.
The heat, which had been great for about a month, be-
came now much more difagreeable in this clofe rainy wea-
ther ; and, from the moiflure attending it, threatened foon
to be noxious ; as the fliips could not be kept dry, nor the
fkuttles open, for the fea. However, it is remarkable
enough, that though the only refrefliment we had received
fince leaving the Cape of Good Hope, was that at New Zea-
land ;
224
A VOYAGE TO
1777. land ; there was not, as yet, a fingle perfon, on board,
. . hck, from the conftant ufe of fait food, or viciffitude of
climate.
Thurfday 24. In the night between the 24th and 25th we pafled Savage
Monday 38. which I had difcovered in 1774 and on the 28th,
at ten o’clock in the morning, we got fight of the illands
which lie to the Eaftward of Annamooka, bearing North by
Weft, about four or five leagues diftant. I fleered to the
South of thefe iflands, and then hauled up for Annamooka;
which, at four in the afternoon, bore North Weft by North,
Fallafajeea South Weft by South, and Komango North by
Weft, diftant about five miles. The weather being fqually,
with rain, I anchored, at the approach of night, in fifteen
fathoms deep water, over a bottom of coral-fand, and
fliells ; Komango bearing North Weft, about two leagues
diftant.
* For an account of the difcovery of Savage Ifland ; a defcription of it ; and the
behaviour of its inhabitants, on Captain Cook’s landing, fee his Voyage, Vol. ii. p. 3.
to p. 7.
CHAP.
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
CHAP. IV.
Intercourfe with the 'Natives of Komango, and other IJlands.
— Arrival at Annamooka. — ’tranJaBions there. — Feenou,
a principal Chief., from Fongataboo, comes on a Vifit. — Fhe
Manner of his Reception in the Ifland., and on board. —
Injiances of the pilfering Difpofition of the Natives. — Some
Account of Annamooka. — The Pajfage from it to Hapaee.
SOON after we had anchored, two canoes, the one with 1777.
four, and the other with three men, paddled toward , ,
us, and came along-lide without the leaft helitation. They Monday 28.
brought fome cocoa-nuts, bread-fruit, plantains, and fugar-
cane, which they bartered with us for nails. One of the
men came on board ; and when thefe canoes had left us,
another vilited us ; but did not ftay long, as night was ap-
proaching. Komango, the illand neareft to us, was, at leaft,
five miles off ; which lliews the hazard thefe people would
run, in order to polfefs a few of our moft trifling ar-
ticles. Befides this fupply from the fhore, we caught, this
evening, with hooks and lines, a confiderable quantity of
fifli.
Next morning, at four o’clock, I fent Lieutenant King, Tuefday 29.
with two boats, to Komango, to procure refreftiments ;
and, at five, made the fignal to weigh, in order to ply up
to Annamooka, the wind being unfavourable at North
Weft.
VoL. I. G g
It
226
A VOYAGE TO
It was no fooner day -light, than we were vifited by lix or
feven canoes from different iflands, bringing with them,
befides fruits and roots, two pigs, feveral fowls, fome large
wood-pigeons, fmall rails, and large violet-coloured coots.
All thefe they exchanged with us for beads, nails, hatchets,
8cc. They had alfo other articles of commerce ; fuch as
pieces of their cloth, fifh-hooks, fmall bafkets, mufical
reeds, and fome clubs, fpears, and bows. But I ordered,
that no curiofities Ihould be purchafed, till the fhips fhould
he fupplied with provifions, and leave given for that pur-
pofe. Knowing, alfo, from experience, that, if all our
people might trade with the natives, according to their
own caprice, perpetual quarrels would enfue, I ordered
that particular perfons fhould manage the traffic both on
board and on ffiore, prohibiting all others to interfere.
Before mid-day, Mr. King’s boat returned with feven hogs,
fome fowls, a quantity of fruit and roots for ourfelves, and
fome grafs for the cattle. His party was very civilly treated
at Komango. The inhabitants did not feem to be nume-
rous ; and their huts, which flood clofe to each other,
wdthin a plantain walk, were but indifferent. Not far from
them, was a pretty large pond of freffi water, tolerably
good ; but there was not any appearance of a flream.
With Mr. King, came on board the Chief of the illand,
named Tooboulangee ; and another, whofe name was Taipa.
They brought with them a hog, as a prefent to me, and
promifed more the next day.
As foon as the boats were aboard, I flood for Anna-
mooka ; and the wind being fcant, I intended to go be-
tween Annamooka-ette and the breakers to the South
Eafl of it. But, on drawing near, we met with very irre-
* That is, Little Annamooka.
gular
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
227
gular foundings, varying, every caft, ten or twelve fathoms. 1777.
This obhged me to give up the defign, and to go to the , .
Southward of all ; which carried us to leeward, and made
it neceffary to fpend the night under fail. It was very
dark ; and 'we had the wind, from every direction, accom-
panied with heavy fliowers of rain. So that, at day-light
the next morning, we found ourfelves much farther off Wednef. 30.
than we had been the evening before ; and the little wind
that now blew, was right in our teeth.
We continued to ply, all day, to very little purpofe ; and,
in the evening, anchored in thirty-nine fathoms water;
the bottom coral rocks, and broken fhells ; the Weft point
of Annamooka bearing Eaft North Eaft, four miles diftant.
Tooboulangee and Taipa kept their promife, and brought
off to me fome hogs. Several others were alfo procured by
bartering, from different canoes that followed us ; and as
much fruit as we could weU manage. It was remarkable,
that, during the whole day, our vifiters from the iflands
would hardly part with any of their commodities to any
body but me. Captain Clerke did not get above one or
tw'o hogs.
At four o’clock next morning, 1 ordered a boat to be May.
hoifted out, and fent the Mafter to found the South Weft
fide of Annamooka ; where there appeared to be a har-
bour, formed by the ifland on the North Eaft, and by fmall
illots, and fhoals, to the South Weft and South Eaft. In
the mean time, the fliips were got under fail, and wrought
up to the ifland.
When the Mafter returned, he reported, that he had
founded between Great and Little Annamooka, where he
found ten and twelve fathoms depth of water, the bottom
coral fand ; that the place was very well flieltered from all
G g 2 winds ;
228
A VOYAGE TO
J777'
May.
' '
winds ; but that there was no frefh water to be found, ex-
cept at fome diftance inland ; and that, even there, little of
it was to be got, and that little not good. For this reafon
only, and it was a very fufficient one, I determined to an-
chor on the North fide of the ifland, where, during my
lafi: voyage, I had found a place fit both for w^atering and
landing.
It was not above a league difiant ; and yet we did not
reach it till five o’clock in the afternoon, being confiderably
retarded by the great number of canoes that continually
•
crowded round the fliips, bringing to us abundant fupplies
of the produce of their ifland. Amongft thefe canoes, there
were fome double ones, with a large fail, that carried be-
tween forty and fifty men each. Thefe failed round us,
apparently, with the fame eafe, as if we had been at an-
chor. There were feveral women in the canoes, who were,
perhaps, incited by curiofity to vifit us; though, at the
fame time, they bartered as eagerly as the men, and ufed
the paddle with equal labour and dexterity. I came to an
anchor in eighteen fathoms water, the bottom coarfe coral
fand ; the ifland extending from Eafi: to South Weft ; and
the Weft point of the Wefternmoft cove South Eaft, about
three quarters of a mile diftant. Thus I refumed the very
fame ftation which I had occupied when I vifited Anna-
mooka three years before ; and, probably, almoft in the
fame place where Tafman, the firft difcoverer of this, and
fome of the neighbouring iflands, anchored in 1643 t.
The following day, while preparations were making for
* See Captain Cook’s laft Voyage, Vol. ii. p. 9.
f See Tafman’s account of this ifland, in Mr. Dalrymple’s valuable Colledfion of
Voyages to the Pacific Ocean, Vol. ii. p. 79, 80. The few particulars mentioned by
Tafman, agree remarkably with Captain Cook’s more extended relation.
watering,
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
229
watering, I went alliore, in the forenoon, accompanied by 1777.
Captain Clerke, and fome of the Officers, to fix on a place .
where the obfervatories might be fet up, and a guard be Friday 2.
ftationed ; the natives having readily given us leave. They
alfo accommodated us with a boat-houfe, to ferve as- a tent,
and file wed us every other mark of civility. Toobou, the
Chief of the illand, condu61;ed me and Omai to his houfe.
We found it fituated on a pleafant fpot, in the centre of his
plantation. A fine grafs-plot furrounded it, which, he
gave us to underftand, was for the purpofe of cleaning
their feet, before they went within doors. I had not, be-
fore, obferved fuch an inffcance of attention to cleanlinefs
at any of the places I had vifited in this ocean ; but, after-
ward, found that it was very common at the Friendly
Iflands. The floor of Toobou’s houfe was covered with
mats ; and no carpet, in the moft elegant Engliih drawing-
room, could be kept neater. While we were on fliore, we
procured a few hogs, and fome fruit, by bartering; and,
before we got on board again, the fhips were crowded with
the natives. Few of them coming empty-handed, every
neceflary refreffiment was now in the greateft plenty.
I landed again in the afternoon, with a party of ma-
rines ; and, at the fame time, the horfes, and fuch of the
cattle as were in a weakly ftate, were fent on lliore. Every
thing being fettled to my fatisfadfion, I returned to the
Ihip at funfet, leaving the command upon the ifland to
Mr. King. Taipa, who was now become our fail friend,
and who feemed to be the only adtive perfon about us,
in order to be near our party in the night, as well as the
day, had a houfe brought, on men’s flioulders, a full
quarter of a mile, and placed clofe to the flied which our
party occupied.
Next
230
A VOYAGE TO
1777- Next day, our various operations on fhore began. Some
> . were employed in making hay for the cattle ; others in fill-
Saturday 3. ing our Water calks at the neighbouring ftagnant pool ;
and a third party in cutting wood. The greateft plenty of
this lad: article being abread: of the diips, and in a fituation
the mod: convenient for getting it on board, it was natural
to make choice of this. But the trees here, which our
people erroneoully fuppofed to be manchineel, but were a
fpecies of pepper, called faitanoo by the natives, yielded a
juice of a milky colour, of fo corrodve a nature, that it
raifed bliders on the Ikin, and injured the eyes of our
workmen. They were, therefore, obliged to defid: at this
place, and remove to the cove, in which our guard was
Hationed, and where we embarked our water. Other wood,
more fuitable to our purpofes, was there furnidied to us
by the natives. Thefe were not the only employments we
were engaged in, for Medfs. King and Bayly began, this
day, to obferve equal altitudes of the fun, in order to get
th^ rate of the time-keepers. In the evening, before the
natives retired from our pod, Taipa harangued them for
fome time. We could only guefs at the fubje6t; and
judged, that he was indrudfing them how to behave to-
ward us, and encouraging them to bring the produce of the
idand to market. We experienced the good ededls of his
eloquence, in the plentiful fupply of providons which,
next day, we received.
Sunday 4. Nothing worth notice happened, on the 4th and 5th,
Mondays, except that, on the former of thefe days, the Difcovery
lod: her fmall bower anchor, the cable being cut in two
by the rocks. This misfortune made it necedary to exa-
mine the cables of the Refolution, which were found to
be unhurt.
On
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
231
On the 6th, we were vifited by a great Chief from Ton- 1777.
gataboo, whofe name was Feenou, and whom Taipa was .
pleafed to introduce to us as King of all the Friendly Hies. Tuefday6.
I was now told, that, on my arrival, a canoe had been
difpatched to Tongataboo with the news ; in confequence
of which, this Chief immediately pafled over to Anna-
mooka. The Officer an fliore informed me, that when
he firft arrived, all the natives were ordered out to meet
him, and paid their obeifance by bowing their heads as
low as his feet, the foies of which they alfo touched with
each hand, firft with the palm, and then with the back
part. There could be little room to fufpetft that a perfon,
received with fb much refpedt, could be any thing lefs
than the King.
In the afternoon, I went to pay this great man a vifit,
having firft received a prefent of two fifli from him,
brought on board by one of his fervants. As foon as I
landed, he came up to me. He appeared to be about
thirty years of age, tall, but thin, and had more of the
European features, than any I had yet feen here. When
the firft falutation was over, I afked if he was the King.
For, notwithftanding what I had been told, finding he was
not the man whom I remembered to have feen under that
characfter during my former voyage, I began to entertain
doubts. Taipa officially anfwered for him, and enume-
rated no lefs than one hundred and fifty-three iflands, of
which, he faid, Feenou was the Sovereign. After a fliort
ftay, our new vifiter, and five or fix of his attendants, ac-
companied me on board. I gave fuitable prefents to them
all, and entertained them in fuch a manner, as I thought
would be moft agreeable.
In the evening, I attended them on fliore in my boat,
into
A VOYAGE TO
1777. into which the Chief ordered three hogs to be put, as a
• . return for the prefents he had received from me. I was
now informed of an accident which had juft happened,
the relation of which will convey fome idea of the extent
of the authority exercifed here over the common people.
While Feenou was on board my ftiip, an inferior Chief,
for what reafon our people on fliore did not know, ordered
all the natives to retire from the poft we occupied. Some
of them having ventured to return, he took up a large
ftick, and beat them moft unmercifully. He ftruck one
man, on the ftde of the face, with fo much violence, that
the blood guflied out of his mouth and noftrils ; and, after
lying fome time motionlefs, he was, at laft, removed from
the place, in convulftons. The perfon who had inflidted
the blow, being told that he had killed the man, only
laughed at it ; and, it was evident, that he was not in the
leaft forry for what had happened. We heard, afterward,
that the poor fufferer recovered.
The Difcovery having found again her fmall bower an-
Wednef. 7, chor, fliifted her birth on the 7th ; but not before her beft
bower cable had fliared the fate of the other. This day, I
had the company of Feenou at dinner; and alfo the next
Thurfdays, day, wheii he was attended by Taipa, Toobou, and fome
other Chiefs. It was remarkable, that none but Taipa was al-
lowed to fit at table with him, or even to eat in his prefence.
I own that I conftdered Feenou as a very convenient gueft,
on account of this etiquette. For, before his arrival, I had,
generally, a larger company than I could well find room
for, and my table overflowed with crowds of both fexes.
For it is not the cuftom at the Friendly Iflands, as it is at
Otaheite, to deny to their females the privilege of eating
in company with the men.
The
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
233
The firft day of our arrival at Annamooka, one of the 1777.
natives had ftolen, out of the fliip, a large junk axe. I now .
applied to Feenou to exert his authority to get it reftored to
me ; and fo implicitly was he obeyed, that it was brought
on board while we were at dinner. Thefe people gave us
very frequent opportunities of remarking what expert
thieves they were. Even fome of their Chiefs did not think
this profeffion beneath them. On the 9th, one of them Friday 9.
was detected carrying out of the fliip, concealed under his
clothes, the bolt belonging to the fpun yarn winch ; for
which I fentenced him to receive a dozen laflies, and kept
him confined till he paid a hog for his liberty. After this,
we were not troubled with thieves of rank. Their fervants,
or flaves, however, were ftill employed in this dirty work ;
and upon them a flogging feemed to make no greater im-
preflion, than it would have done upon the main-maft. •
When any of them happened to be caught in the adl, their
mafters, far from interceding for them, would often advife
us to kill them. As this was a punifhment we did not
choofe to inflidt, they generally efcaped without any pu-
nifliment at ail ; for they appeared to us to be equally infen-
fible of the fliame, and of the pain of corporal chafiifement.
Captain Clerke, at laft, hit upon a mode of treatment,
which, we thought, had fome effect. He put them under
the hands of the barber, and completely fliaved their heads ;
thus pointing them out as obje6ls of ridicule to their coun-
trymen, and enabling our people to deprive them of future
opportunities for a repetition of their rogueries, by keeping
them at a diftance.
Feenou was fo fond of aflTociating with us, that he dined
on board every day ; though, fometimes, he did not partake
of our fare. On the loth, fome of his fervants brought a Saturday 10,
VoL. I. H h mefs.
234
A VOYAGE TO
Sunday 1 1.
Monday 12.
Tuefday 13.
Wednef. 14.
mefs, which had been drefled for him on fliore. It conlifted •
of fifli, foup, and yams. Infteadof common water to make
the foup, cocoa-nut liquor had been made ufe of, in which
the fifli had been boiled or ftewed ; probably in a wooden
veffel, with hot Hones ; but it was carried on board in a
plantain leaf. I tailed of the mefs, and found it fo good,
that I, afterward, had fome fiili dreffed in the fame way.
Though my cook fucceeded tolerably well, he could pro-
duce nothing equal to the dilli he imitated.
Finding that we had quite exhauited the iiland, of almoil
every article of food that it afforded, I employed the nth
in moving off, from the fhore, the horfes, obfervatories, and
other things that we had landed, as alfo the party of ma-
rines who had mounted guard at our ilation, intending to
fail, as foon as the Difcovery ihould have recovered her heft
bower anchor. Feenou, underilanding that I meant to pro-
ceed directly to Tongataboo, importuned me ilrongly to
alter this plan, to which he expreffed as much averiion, as
if he had fome particular intereft to promote by diverting
me from it. In preference to it, he warmly recommended
an iiland, or rather a group of illands, called Hapaee, lying
to the North Eaft. There, he affured us, we could be fup-
plied plentifully with every refrelliment, in the eafeft
manner ; and, to add weight to his advice, he engaged to
attend us thither in perfon. He carried his point with me ;
and Hapaee was made choice of for our next Ilation. As it
had never been vilited by any European lliips, the examina-
tion of it became an objedl with me.
The 1 2th, and the 13th, were fpent in attempting the re-
covery of Captain Gierke’s anchor, which, after much
trouble, was happily accomplifhed ; and on the 14th, in the
morning, we got under fail, and left Annamooka.
This
f
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
235
This illaiid is fomewhat higher than the other fmall illes
that furround it ; but, ftill, it cannot be admitted to the ^
rank of thofe of a moderate height, fuch as Mangeea and
Wateeoo. The fliore, at that part where our fliips lay, is
compofed of a deep, rugged coral rock, nine or ten feet
high, except where there are two fandy beaches, which
have a reef of the fame fort of rock extending crofs their
entrance to the fliore, and defending them from the fea.
The fait water lake that is in the centre of the illand, is
about a mile and a half broad ; and round it, the land rifes
like a bank, with a gradual afcent. But we could not trace
its having any communication with the fea. And yet, the
land that runs acrofs to it, from the largeft fandy beach,
being flat and low, and the foil fandy, it is moft likely that
it may have, formerly, communicated that way. The foil
on the riflng parts of the ifland, and efpecially toward
the fea, is either of a reddifh clayey difpofltion, or a black,
loofe mould ; but there is, no where, any flream of frefli
water.
The ifland is very well cultivated, except in a few places ;
and there are fome others, which, though they appear to
lie wafte, are only left to recover the ftrength exhaufted by
conftant culture ; for we frequently faw the natives at work
upon thefe fpots, to plant them again. The plantations
conlift chiefly of yams and plantains. Many of them are
very extenflve, and often inclofed with neat fences of reed,
difpofed obliquely acrofs each other, about fix feet high.
Within thefe we often faw other fences of lefs compafs,
furrounding the houfes of the principal people. The bread-
fruit, and cocoa-nut trees, are interfperfed with little order;
but chiefly near the habitations of the natives ; and the
other parts of the ifland, efpecially toward the fea, and
H h 2 about
>777-
May.
236
A VOYAGE TO
1777- about the fides of the lake, are covered with trees and
. bullies of a moll luxuriant growth ; the laft place having a
great many mangroves, and the firft a vaft number of the
faitanoo trees already mentioned. There feem to be no
rocks or ftones, of any kind, about the illand, that are not
coral ; except in one place, to the right of the fandy beach,
where there is a rock twenty or thirty feet high,. of a cal-
careous ftone, of a yellowifh colour, and a very clofe texture.
But even about that place, which is the higheft part of the
land, are large pieces of the fame coral rock that compofes
the fliore.
Belides walking frequently up into the country, which
we were permitted to do without interruption, we fome-
times amufed ourfelves in fliooting wild ducks, not unlike
the widgeon, which are very numerous upon the fait lake,
and the pool where we got our water. In thefe excurhons,
we found the inhabitants had often deferted their houfes to
come down to the trading place, without entertaining any
fufpicion, that ftrangers, rambling about, would take away,
or deftroy, any thing that belonged to them. But though,
from this circumftance, it might be fujipofed that the
greater part of the natives were fometimes collected at the
beach, it was impoffible to form any accurate computation
of their number; as the continual refort of viliters from
other illands, mixing with them, might ealily millead one.
However, as there was never, to appearance, above a thou-
fand perfons collected at one time, it would, perhaps, be
fufficient to allow double that number for the whole illand.
The place where fuch numbers alfembled daily, and the
bay where our boats landed, are faithfully reprefented in a
drawing by Mr. Webber.
To the North and North Eaft of Annamooka, and in the
diredl
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
237
dire6I track to H apace, whither we were now bound, the
fea is fprinkled with a great number of fmall illes. Amidft ^
the fhoals and rocks adjoining to this group, I could not be
affured that there was a free or fafe paffage for fuch large
fliips as ours ; though the natives failed through the in-
tervals in their canoes. For this fubftantial reafon, when
we weighed anchor from Annamooka, I thought it ne-
ceffary to go to the Weftward of the above illands, and
fleered North North Weft, toward Kao ’i'' and Toofoa, the
two moft Wefterly illands in fight, and remarkable for
their great height. Feenou, and his attendants, remained
on board the Refolution till near noon, when he went into
the large failing canoe, which had brought him from Ton-
gataboo, and flood in amongft the duller of illands above
mentioned, of which we were now almoft abreaft ; and a
tide or current from the Weftward had fet us, fince our
failing in the morning, much over toward them.
They lie fcattered, at unequal diftances, and are, in ge-
neral, nearly as high as Annamooka; but only from two
or three miles, to half a mile in length, and fome of them
fcarcely fo much. They have either fteep rocky fliores
like Annamooka, or reddifti cliffs ; but fome have fandy
beaches extending almoft their whole length. Moft of
* As a proof of the great difficulty of knowing accurately the exaft names of the
South Sea Iflands, as procured from the natives, I obferve that what Captain Cook calls
Aghao^ Mr. Anderfon calls Kao \ and Tafman’s drawing, as I find it in Mr. Dalrymple’s
Colledlion of Voyages, gives the name of Kaybay to the fame ifland. Tafman’s and
Captain Cook’s Amattafoa^ is, with Mr. Anderfon, Kofoa. Captain Cook’s Komango^ is
Tafman’s Amango. There is fcarcely an inftance, in which fuch variations are not ob-
fervable. Mr. Anderfon’s great attention to matters of this fort being, as we learn
from Captain King, well known to every body on board, and admitted always by Captain
Cook himfelf, his mode of fpelling has been adopted on the engraved chart of the Friendly
Iflands ; which has made it neceflary to adopt it alfo, in printing the journal.
1777-
May.
them
A VOYAGE TO
1777. them are entirely clothed with trees, amongft which are
^ . many cocoa palms, and each forms a profpedf hke a beau-
tiful garden placed in the fea. To heighten this, the ferene
weather we now had, contributed very much ; and the
whole might fupply the imagination with an idea of fome
fairy land realized. It fliould feem, that fome of them,
at leaft, may have been formed, as we fuppofed Palmer-
fton’s Illand to have been ; for there is one, which, as yet,
is entirely fand, and another, on which there is only one
bufli, or tree.
At four o’clock in the afternoon being the length of
Kotoo, the Wellernmoft of the above clufter of fmall
illands, we fleered to the North, leaving Toofoa and Kao
on our larboard, keeping along the Weft fide of a reef of
rocks, which lie to the Weftward of Kotoo, till we came to
their Northern extremity, round which we hauled in for
the illand. It was our intention to have anchored for the
night ; but it came upon us before we could find a place in
lefs than fifty-five fathoms water; and rather than come to
in this depth, I chofe to fpend the night under fail.
We had, in the afternoon, been within two leagues of
Toofoa, the fmoke of which we faw feveral times in the day.
The Friendly Iflanders have fome fuperftitious notions about
the volcano upon it, which they call Kollofeea^ and fay it is
an Otooa, or divinity. According to their account, it fome-
times throws up very large ftones ; and they compare the
crater^ to the fize of a fmall illot, which has never ceafed
fmoking in their memory ; nor have they any tradition that
it ever did. We fometimes faw the fmoke riling from the
centre of the illand, while we were at Annamooka, though
at the diftance of at leaft ten leagues. Toofoa, we were told,
is but thinly inhabited, but the water upon it is good.
At
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
^39
At day-break the next morning, being then not far from 1777.
Kao, which is a vaft rock of a conic figure, we fleered to . .
the Eaft, for the paffage between the illands Footooha and Thurfday 15.
Hafaiva, with a gentle breeze at South Eafl. About ten
o’clock, Feenou came on board, and remained with us all
day. He brought with him two hogs, and a quantity of
fruit ; and, in the courfe of the day, feveral canoes, from
the different illands round us, came to barter quantities of
the latter article, which was very acceptable, as our flock
was nearly expended. At noon, our latitude was 19° 49^ 45"''
South, and we had made feven miles of longitude from Anna-
mooka; Toofoabore North, 88° Well; Kao North, 71° Well;
Footooha North, 89° Well ; and Hafaiva South, 12° Well.
After paffing Footooha, we met with a reef of rocks ;
and, as there was but little wind, it coll us fome trouble to
keep clear of them. This reef lies between Footooha and
Neeneeva, which is a 'fmall low ille, in the direction of
Eafl North Eafl from Footooha, at the diflance of feven or
eight miles. Footooha is a fmall illand, of middling height,
and bounded all round by a fleep rock. It lies South 67°
Eafl, diflant fix leagues from Kao, and three leagues from
Kotoo, in the direvSlion of North 33° Eafl. Being pafl the
reef of rocks jufl mentioned, we hauled up for Neeneeva,
in hopes of finding anchorage ; but were again difappoint-
ed, and obliged to fpend the night, making fhort boards.
For, although we had land in every diredlion, the fea was
unfathomable.
In the courfe of this night, we could plainly fee flames
iffuing from the volcano upon Toofoa, though to no great
height.
At day-break in the morning of the i6th, with a gentle Friday 16.
breeze at South Eafl, we fleered North Eafl for Hapaee,
which
240
.» 777-
May.
V
Saturday 17.
A VOYAGE TO
which w-as now in fight ; and we could judge it to be low
land, from the trees only appearing above the water.
About nine o’clock Ave could fee it plainly forming three
illands, nearly of an equal fize ; and foon after, a fourth
to the Southward of thefe, as large as the others. Each
feemed to be about fix or feven miles long, and of a fimilar
height and appearance. The Northernmofl of them is
called Haanno, the next Foa, the third Lefooga, and the
Southernmofl Hoolaiva ; but all four are included, by the
natives, under the general name Hapaee.
The wind fcanting upon us, we could not fetch the land ;
fo that we were forced to ply to windward. In doing this,
Ave once paffed over fome coral rocks, on Avhich aac had
only fix fathoms Avater; but the moment we Avere over
them, found no ground Avith eighty fathoms, of line. At this
time, the ifles of Hapaee bore, from North, 50° Eaft, to South,
9° Weft. We got up wdth the Northernmofl of thefe ifles by
funfet ; and there found ourfelves in the very fame diftrefs,
for want of anchorage, that Ave had experienced the tAVO
preceding evenings ; fo that Ave had another night to fpend
under fail, Avith land and breakers in every direction. To-
Avard the evening, Feenou, Avho had been on board all day,
AA'^ent forward to Hapaee, and took Omai in the canoe Avith
him. He did not forget our difagreeable fttuation ; and
kept up a good fire, all night, by way of a land-mark.
As foon as the day-light returned, being then clofe in
Avith Foa, we faw it Avas joined to Haanno, by a reef
running even Avith the furface of the fea, from the one
ifland to the other. I now difpatched a boat to look for an-
chorage. A proper place Avas foon found ; and Ave came to,
abreaft of a reef, being that Avhich joins Lefooga to Foa (in
the fame manner that Foa is joined to Haanno), having
tAventy-
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
241
twenty-four fathoms depth of water; the bottom coral 1777.
fand. In this ftation, the northern point of Hapaee, or the .
North end of Haanno, bore North, 16° Eaft. The Southern
point of Hapaee, or the South end of Hoolaiva, South, 29°
Weft ; and the North end of Lefooga, South, 65° Eaft. Two
ledges of rocks lay without us ; the one bearing South,
50° Weft ; and the other Weft by North f North, diftant
two or three miles. We lay before a creek in the reef,
which made it convenient landing at all times ; and we were
not above three quarters of a mile from the fliore.
I i
VOL. 1.
CHAP.
242
A VOYAGE TO
CHAP. V.
Arrival of the Ships at Hapaee^ and friendly Reception there.
Prefents and Solemnities on the Occajion. — Single Combats
with Clubs.’^Wreftling and Boxing Matches. — Female
Combatants. — Marines exercifed. — A Dance performed by
Men. — Fireworks exhibited. — The Night-entertainments of
Jinging and dancing particularly defcribed.
s
1777- T3 Y the time we had anchored, the fhips were filled with
1 — — i JD the natives, and fnrrounded by a multitude of canoes,
Saturday 17. fiUed alfo with them. They brought, from the fliore, hogs,
fowls, fruit, and roots, which they exchanged for hatchets,
knives, nails, beads, and cloth. Feenou and Omai having
come on board, after it was light, in order to introduce me
to the people of the illand, I foon accompanied them on
fliore, for that purpofe, landing at the North part of Le-
fooga, a little to the right of the fhip’s ftation.
The Chief conducted me to a houfe, or rather a hut,
fituated clofe to the fea-beach, which I had feen brought
thither, but a few minutes before, for our reception. In
this Feenou, Omai, and myfelf, were feated. The other
Chiefs, and the multitude, compofed a circle, on the out-
fide, fronting us ; and they alfo fat down. I was then
afked. How long I intended to flay ? On my faying. Five
days, Taipa was ordered to come and fit by me, and pro-
claim
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
243
claim this to the people. He then harangued them, in a 1777.
fpeech moftly dictated by Feenou. The purport of it, as I , .
learnt from Omai, was, that they were all, both old and
young, to look upon me as a friend, who intended to re-
main with them a few days ; that, during my ftay, they
muif not fteal any thing, nor moleft me any other way ; and
that it was expelled, they fhould bring hogs, fowls, fruit,
8cc. to the Iliips, where they would receive, in exchange
for them, fuch and fuch things, which he enumerated.
Soon after T aipa had finifhed this addrefs to the affembly,
Feenou left us. Taipa then took occafion to hgnify to me,
that it was neceflary I fliould make a prefent to the Chief of
the illand, whofe name was Earoupa. I was not unprepared
for this ; and gave him fuch articles as far exceeded his ex-
pecflation. My liberality to him brought upon me demands,
of the fame kind, from two Chiefs of other ifles who were
prefent ; and from Taipa himfelf. When Feenou returned,
which was immediately after I had made the laft of thefe
prefents, he pretended to be angry with Taipa for fuffer-
ing me to give away fo much ; but I looked upon this as a
mere finelTe ; being confident that he acfiied in concert with
the others. He now took his feat again, and ordered
Earoupa to fit by him, and to harangue the people as Taipa
had done, and to the fame purpofe ; dictating, as before,
the heads of the fpeech.
Thefe ceremonies being performed, the Chief, at my
requeft, conducted me to three fiagnant pools of frefli wa-
ter, as he was pleafed to call it : and, indeed, in one of thefe
the water was tolerable, and the fituation not inconvenient
for filling our calks. After viewing the watering-place,
we returned to our former ftation, where I found a baked
hog, and fome yams, fmoking hot, ready to be carried on
I i 2 board
244
A VOYAGE TO
1777. board for my dinner. I invited Feenou, and his friends, to
, . partake of it ; and we embarked for the fliip ; but none but
himfelf fat down with us at the table. After dinner I con-
ducted them on fliore ; and, before I returned on board, the
Chief gave me a fine large turtle, and a qiiantity of yams^
Our fupply of provifions was copious ; for, in the courfe of
the day, we got, by barter, along-fide the fliip, about twenty
fmall hogs, befide fruit and roots.. I was told, that on my
firfi: landing in the morning, a man came off to the fhips,
and ordered every one of the natives to go on fliore. Pro-
bably,. this was done with a view to have the whole body of
inhabitants prefent at the ceremony of my reception ; for
when that was over, multitudes of them returned again to-
the fliips.
Sunday 18. Next moriiing early, Feenou,. and Omai, who fcarcely
ever quitted the Chief, and now flept on fliore, came on>
board. The object of the vifit, was to require my prefeiice
upon the ifland. After fome time, 1 accompanied them ;
and, upon landing, was condudfed to the fame place where
I had been feated the day before ; and where I faw a large
concourfe of people already aflTembled. I guefiTed that
fomething more than ordinary was in agitation ; but could
not tell what, nor could Omai inform me.
I had not been long feated, before near a hundred of the
natives appeared in fight, and advanced, laden with yams,
bread-fruit, plantains, cocoa-nuts, and fugar-canes. They
depofited their burdens, in two heaps, or piles, upon our
left, being the fide they came from. Soon after, arrived a
number of others from the right, bearing the fame kind
of articles ; which were collected into two piles upon that
fide. To thefe were tied two pigs, and fix fowls ; and to
thofe, upon the left, fix pigs, and two turtles. Earoupa
feated
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
245
feated liimfelf before the feveral articles upon the left ; 17;
and another Chief before thofe upon the right ; they ,
being, as I judged, the two Chiefs who had collected them,
by order of Feenou, who feemed to be as implicitly obey-
ed here, as he had been at Annamooka; and, in confe-
quence of his commanding fuperiority over the Chiefs of
Hapaee, had laid this tax upon them for the prefent oc-
calion.
As foon as this munificent colledfion of provifions was
laid down in order, and difpofed to the befl advantage, the
bearers of it joined the multitude, who formed a large circle
round the whole. Prefently after, a number of men en-
tered this circle, or area, before us, armed with clubs, made
of the green branches of the cocoa-nut tree. Thefe paraded
about, for a few minutes, and then retired ; the one half tO'
one fide, and the other half to the other fide ; feating them-
felves before the fpedtators. Soon after, they fuccellively
entered the lifts, and entertained us with fingle combats.
One champion, riling up and ftepping forward from one
fide, challenged thofe of the other fide, by expreflive gef-
tures, more than by words, to fend one of their body to op-
l^ofe him. If the challenge was accepted, which was gene-
rally the cafe, the two combatants put themfelves in proper
attitudes, and then began the engagement, which con-
tinued till one or other owned himfelf conquered, or till
their weapons were broken. As foon as each combat was
over, the vidtor fquatted himfelf down facing the Chief,
then rofe up, and retired. At the fame time, fome old men,
who feemed to fit as judges, gave their plaudit in a few
words ; and the multitude, efpecially thofe on the fide to
which the vidtor belonged, celebrated the glory he had ac-
quired, in two or three huzzas.
This
246
A VOYAGE TO
777. This entertainment was, now and then, fnfpended for a
few minutes. During thefe intervals there were both
wreftling and boxing matches. The firfl: were performed
in the fame manner as at Otaheite ; and the fecond differed
very little from the method pra6lifed in England. But
what ifruck us with molf furprize, was, to fee a couple of
lufty wenches ftep forth, and begin boxing, without the
leafl ceremony, and with as much art as the men. This
contelf , however, did not laid above half a minute, before
one of them gave it up. The conquering heroine received
the fame applaufe from the fpectators, which they beftow-
ed upon the fuccefsful combatants of the other fex. We
expreffed fome dillike at this part of the entertainment ;
which, however, did not prevent two other females from
entering the lifts. They feemed to be girls of fpirit, and
would certainly have given each other a good drubbing,
if two old women had not interpofed to part them. All
thefe combats were exhibited in the midft of, at leaft, three
thoufand people ; and were condudf ed with the greateft
good humour on all fides ; though fome of the champions,
women as well as men, received blows, which, doubtlefs,
they muft have felt for fome time after.
As foon as thefe diverfions were ended, the Chief told
me, that the heaps of proviftons, on our right-hand, were
a prefent to Omai ; and that thofe, on our left-hand, being
about two-thirds of the whole quantity, were given to me.
He added, that I might take them on board whenever it
was convenient ; but that there would be no occafton to
fet any of our people as guards over them, as I might be
aftiired, that not a lingle cocoa-nut would be taken away
by the natives. So it proved ; for I left every thing be-
hind, and returned to the fliip to dinner, carrying the
Chief
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
247
Chief with me ; and when the provifions were removed on 1777.
board, in the afternoon, not a Angle article was miffing. , .
There was as much as loaded four boats ; and I could not
but be ftruck with the munificence of Feenou; for this
prefent far exceeded any I had ever received from any of
the Sovereigns of the various illands I had vifited in the
Pacific Ocean. I loft no time in convincing my friend,
that I was not infenfible of his liberality ; for, before he
quitted my fliip, I beftowed upon him fuch of our com-
modities, as, I guelTed, were moft valuable in his eftima-
tion. And the return I made was fo much to his fatisfac-
tion, that, as foon as he got on fliore, he left me ftill in-
debted to him, by fending me a freffi prefent, confifting of
two large hogs, a confiderable quantity of cloth, and fome
yams.
Feenou had exprelfed a defire to fee the marines go
through their military exercife. As I w^as defirous to gratify
his curiofity, I ordered them all alliore, from both fliips, in
the morning of the 20th. After they had performed various Tuefday 20.
evolutions, and fired feveral vollies, with which the nume-
rous body of fpedfators feemed well pleafed, the Chief en-
tert'ained us, in his turn, with an exhibition, which, as was
acknowledged by us all, was performed with a dexterity
and exa6lnefs, far furpaffing the fpecimen we had given of
our military manoeuvres. It was a kind of a dance, fo en-
tirely different from any thing I had ever feen, that, 1 fear,
I can give no defcription that will convey any tolerable idea
of it to my readers. It was performed by men ; and one
hundred and five perfons bore their parts in it. Each of
them had in his hand an inftrument neatly made, fiiaped
fome what like a paddle, of two feet and a half in length,
with a fmall handle, and a thin blade ; fo that they were
very
A VOYAGE TO
1777. very light. With thefe inftruments they made many and
. . various flouridies, each of which was accompanied with a
different attitude of the body, or a different movement. At
firft, the performers ranged themfelves in three lines ; and,
by various evolutions, each man changed his ftation in fuch
a manner, that thofe who had been in the rear, came into
the front. Nor did they remain long in the fame pofition ;
but thefe changes were made by pretty quick tranfitions.
At one time they extended themfelves in one line ; they,
then, formed into a femicircle ; and, laftly, into two fquare
columns. While this lafl movement was executing, one of
them advanced, and performed an antic dance before me ;
with which the whole ended.
The mufical inflruments confifled of two drums, or
rather two hollow logs of wood, from which fome varied
notes were produced, by beating on them with two flicks.
It did not, however, appear to me, that the dancers w^ere
much afhfled or diredled by thefe founds, but by a chorus
of vocal mufic, in which all the performers joined at the
fame time. Their fong was not deflitute of pleafing me-
lody ; and all their correfponding motions were executed
w'ith fo much fkill, that the numerous body of dancers
feemed to a6l, as if they were one great machine. It
was the opinion of every one of us, that fuch a perform-
ance would have met with univerfal applaufe on a Eu-
ropean theatre ; and it fo far exceeded any attempt we had
made to entertain them, that they feemed to pique them-
felves upon the fuperiority they had over us. As to our
mufical inflruments, they held none of them in the leafl
efleem, except the drum ; and even that they did not
think equal to their own. Our French horns, in particu-
lar, feemed to be held in great contempt ; for neither here,
nor
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
249
nor at any other of the iflands, would they pay the fmalleft
attention to them.
In order to give them a more favourable opinion of Eng-
lifli amufements, and to leave their minds fully imprelfed
with the deepeft fenfe of our fuperior attainments, I directed
fome fireworks to be got ready; and, after it was dark,
played them off in the prefence of Feenou, the other
Chiefs, and a vaft concourfe of their people. Some of the
preparations we found damaged ; but others of them were
in excellent order, and fucceeded fo perfectly, as to anfwer
the end I had in view. Our water and fky-rockets, in par-
ticular, pleafed and aftoniflied them beyond all conception ;
and the fcale was now turned in our favour.
This, however, feemed only to furnifh them with an
additional motive to proceed to frefli exertions of their very
lingular dexterity ; and our fireworks were no fooner ended,
than a fucceflion of dances, which Feenou had got ready
for our entertainment, began. As a prelude to them, a
band of mulic, or chorus of eighteen men, feated them-
felves before us, in the centre of the circle, compofed by
the numerous fpecStators, the area of which was to be the
fcene of the exhibitions. Four or five of this band, had
pieces of large bamboo, from three to five or fix feet long,
each managed by one man, who held it nearly in a vertical
pofition, the upper end open, but the other end clofed by
one of the joints. With this clofe end, the performers kept
conftantly ftriking the ground, though flowly, thus pro-
ducing different notes, according to the different lengths of
the inftruments, but all of them of the hollow' or bafe fort ;
to counteracfl w'hich, a perfon kept ftriking quickly, and
* Mr. Anderfon’s account of the night dances being much fuller than Captain Cook’s,
the reader will not be difpleafed that it has been adopted.
VoL. I. K k
with
250
A VOYAGE TO
with two flicks, a piece of the fame fuhflance, fplit, and
laid along the ground, and, by that means, furnifhing a
tone as acute, as thofe produced by the others were grave.
The relf of the band, as well as thofe who performed upon
the bamboos, fung a flow and foft air, which fo tempered
the harfher notes of the above inflruments, that no bye-
flander, however accuflomed to hear the mofl perfect and
varied modulation of fweet founds, could avoid confelT-
ing the vafl power, and pleafing effedl, of this fimple
harmony.
The concert having continued about a quarter of an
hour, twenty women entered the circle. Mofl of them had,
upon their heads, garlands of the crimfon flowers of the
China rofe, or others ; and many of them had ornamented
their perfons with leaves of trees, cut with a great deal of
nicety about the edges. They made a circle round the
chorus, turning their faces toward it, and began by finging
a foft air, to which refponfes were made by the chorus in
the fame tone ; and thefe were repeated alternately. All
this while, the women accompanied their fong with feveral
very graceful motions of their hands toward their faces,
and in other directions at the fame time, making conflantly
a ftep forward, and then back again, with one foot, while
the other was fixed. They then turned their faces to the
aflembly, fung fome time, and retreated flowly in a body, to
that part of the circle which was oppofite the hut where the
principal fpeClators fat. After this, one of them advanced
from each fide, meeting and paffing each other in the front,
and continuing their progrefs round, till they came to the
refl. On which, two advanced from each fide, two of whom
alfo pafled each other, and returned as the former ; but
the other two remained, and to thefe came one, from each
fide.
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
^51
fide, by intervals, tiU the whole number had again formed
a circle about the chorus.
Their manner of dancing was now changed to a quicker
meafure, in which they made a kind of half turn by leap-
ing, and clapped their hands, and fnapped their fingers, re-
peating fome words in conjun6lion with the chorus. To-
ward the end, as the quicknefs of the mufic increafed,
their geftures and attitudes were varied with wonderful
vigour and dexterity ; and fome of their motions, perhaps,
would, with us, be reckoned rather indecent. Though this
part of the performance, mofi: probably, was not meant to
convey any wanton ideas, but merely to difplay the afto-
nilliing variety of their movements.
To this grand female ballet, fucceeded one performed by
fifteen men. Some of them were old; but their age feemed
to have abated little of their agility or ardour for the dance.
They were difpofed in a fort of circle, divided at the front,
with their faces not turned out toward the aflembly, nor
inward to the chorus ; but one half of their circle faced for-
ward as they had advanced, and the other half in a con-
trary direcSlion. They, fometimes, fung flowly, in concert
with the chorus ; and, while thus employed, they alfo made
feveral very fine motions with their hands, but different
from thofe made by the women, at the fame time inclining
the body to either fide alternately, by railing one leg, which
was flretched outward, and refting on the other; the arm of
the fame fide being alfo ftretched fully upward. At other
limes, they recited fentences in a mufical tone, which were
anfwered by the chorus ; and, at intervals, increafed the
meafure of the dance, by clapping the hands, and quicken-
ing the motions of the feet, which, however, were never
varied. At the end, the rapidity of the mufic, and of the
K k 2 * dancing,
1777-
May.
A VOYAGE TO
dancing, increafed fo much, that it was fcarcely poffible to
diftinguifli the different movements ; though one might fup-
pofe the adfiors were now almoft tired, as their performance
had lafted near half an hour.
After a confiderable interval, another adf, as we may call
it, began. Twelve men now advanced, who placed them-
felves in double rows fronting each other, but on oppolite
lides of the circle ; and, on one fide, a man was flationed,
who, as if he had been a prompter, repeated feveral fen-
tences, to which the twelve new performers, and the chorus,
replied. They then fung flowly ; and afterward danced
and fung more quickly, for about a quarter of an hour, after
the manner of the dancers whom they had fucceeded.
Soon after they had finifhed, nine women exhibited them-
felves, and fat down fronting the hut where the Chief was,
A man then rofe, and flruck the firft of thefe women on the
hack, with both fifls joined. He proceeded, in the fame
manner, to the fecond and third ; but when he came to the
fourth, whether from accident or defign I cannot tell, in-
ftead of the back, he flruck her on the breafl. Upon this a
perfon rofe inflantly from the crowd, who brought him to
the ground with a blow on the head ; and he was carried
off without the leaft noife or diforder. But this did not fave
the other five women from fo odd a difcipline, or perhaps
neceffary ceremony ; for a perfon fucceeded him, who
treated them in the fame manner. Their difgrace did not
end here ; for when they danced, they had the mortification
to find their performance twice difapproved of, and were
obliged to repeat it. This dance did not differ much from
that of the firfl women, except in this one circumflance,
that the prefent fet, fometimes raifed the body upon one leg,
by a fort of double motion, and then upon the other alter-
nately.
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
253
nately, in which attitude they kept fnapping their fingers ;
and, at the end, they repeated, with great agility, the brifk
movements, in which the former group of female dancers
had fhewn themfelves fo expert.
In a little time, a perfon entered unexpectedly, and faid
fomething in a ludicrous way, about the fireworks that had
been exhibited, which extorted a burft of laughter from the
multitude. After this, we had a dance compofed of the
men who attended, or had followed, Feenou. They formed
a double circle (i. e. one within another) of twenty-four
each, round the chorus, and began a gentle foothing fong,
with correfponding motions of the hands and head. This
lafled a confiderable time, and then changed to a much
quicker meafure, during which they repeated fentences,
either in conjunction with the chorus, or in anfwer to fome
fpoken by that band. They then retreated to the back part
of the circle, as the women had done, and again advanced,
on each fide, in a triple row, till they formed a femicircle,
which was done very flowly, by inclining the body on one
leg, and advancing the other a little way, as they put it
down. They accompanied this, with fuch a foft air as they
had fung at the beginning ; but foon changed it to repeat
fentences in a hardier tone, at the fame time quickening the
dance very much, till they finifhed with a general fhout and
clap of the hands. The fame was repeated feveral times ;
but, at laft, they formed a double circle, as at the beginning,
danced, and repeated very quickly, and finally clofed with
feveral very dexterous tranfpofitions of the two circles.
The entertainments of this memorable night concluded
with a dance, in which the principal people prefent ex-
hibited. It refembled the immediately preceding one, in
fome refpedts, having the fame number of performers, who
began
A VOYAGE TO
1777- began nearly in the fame way; but their ending, at each
^ - i interval, was different : for they increafed their motions to
a prodigious quicknefs, fliaking their heads from flioulder
to flioulder, with fuch force, that a fpecStator, unaccuftomed
to the fight, would fuppofe, that they ran a rifk of diflo-
cating their necks. This was attended with a fmart clap-
ping of the hands, and a kind of favage holla ! or fliriek,
not unlike what is fometimes pradtifed in the comic dances
on our European theatres. They formed the triple femi-
circle, as the preceding dancers had done ; and a perfon,
who advanced at the head on one fide of the femicircle,
began by repeating fomething in a truly mufical recitative,
which was delivered with an air fo graceful, as might put
to the blufli our moft applauded performers. He was an-
fwered in the fame manner, by the perfon at the head of
the oppofite party. This being repeated feveral times, the
whole body, on one fide, joined in the refponfes to the
whole correfponding body on the oppofite fide, as the femi-
circle advanced to the front ; and they finifhed, by finging
and dancing as they had begun.
Thefe two laft dances were performed with fo much
fpirit, and fo great exadfnefs, that they met with univerfal
approbation. The native fpe6lators, who, no doubt, were
perfect judges whether the feveral performances were pro-
perly executed, could not withhold their applaufes at fome
particular parts ; and even a Ifranger, who never faw the
diverfion before, felt fimilar fatisfa6tion, at the fame inftant.
For though, through the whole, the moft ftricft concert was
obferved, fome of the geftures were fo expreflive, that it
might be faid, they fpoke the language that accompanied
them ; if we allow that there is any connedlion between
motion and found. At the fame time, it fliould be obferved,
that
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
255
that though the mulic of the chorus, and that of the
dancers, correfponded, conftant pravStice in thefe favourite ^
amufements of our friends, feems to have a great fliare in
effecting the exadf time they keep in their performances.
For we obferved, that if any of them happened accidentally
to be interrupted, they never found the fmalleft difficulty
in recovering the proper place of the dance or fong. And
their perfect difcipline was in no inftance more remark-
able, than in the fudden tranlitions they fo dexteroully
made from the ruder exertions, and harlh founds, to the
foftell airs, and gentleft movements
The place where the dances were performed, was an
open fpace amongft the trees, juft by the fea, with lights, at
fmall intervals, placed round the inftde of the circle. The
concourfe of people was pretty large, though not equal to
the number affembled in the forenoon, when the marines
exercifed. At that time, fome of our gentlemen guefled
there might be prefent about five thoufand perfons ; others
thought there were more ; but they who reckoned that
there were fewer, probably, came nearer to the truth.
* In a former note, at p. 188. it was obferved, that the fongs and dances of the Caro-
line Iflanders, in the North Pacific, bear a great refemblance to thofe of the inhabitants
of Wateeoo. The remark may be now extended to thofe of the Friendly Iflanders, de-
fcribed at large in this chapter. That the reader may judge for himfelf, I have feledled
the following particulars from Father Cantova’s account. “ Pendant la nuit, au clair
“ de la lune, ils s’aflTemblent, de temps en temps, pour chanter & danfer devant la maifon
“ de leur Tamok. Leurs danfes fe font au fon de la voix, car ils n’ont point d’inftru-
“ ment de mufique. La beaute de la danfe, confifte dans I’exadfe uniformite des mouve-
“ mens du corps. Les hommes, fepares des femmes, fe poftent vis-a-vis les uns des
“ autres ; apres quoi, ils remuent la tete, les bras, les mains, les pieds, en cadence < —
“ Leur tete eft couverte de plumes, ou de fleurs ; — et I’on voit, attachees a leurs oreilles,
“ des feuilles de palmier tiflTues avec aflez d’art. — Les femmes, de leur cote, — fe regardant
“ les unes les autres, commencent un chant pathetique & langoureux, accompagnant le
“ fon de leur voix du mouvement cadence de la tete & des bras.” Leitres Ed'ifiantes isf
Curieufesy Tom. xv. p. 314, 315.
CHAP.
356
A VOYAGE TO
CHAP. VI.
1777-
May.
Defcription of Lefooga. — Its cultivated State, — Its 'Extent. —
TranfaSiions there, — A Fej^taleOculiJl, — Singular Expedients
for /having off the Hair. — Hhe Ships change their Station. —
A remarkable Mount and Stone. — Defcription ofHoolaiva. —
Account of Poulaho^ King of the Friendly IJlands. — Refpedi-
ful Manner in which he is treated by his People. — Depar- .
ture from the Hapaee Ijlands. —Some Account of Kotoo. —
Return of the Ships to Annamooka. — Poulaho and Feenou
meet. — Arrival at Tongataboo.
URIOSITY, on both fides, being now fnfficiently
gratified, by the exhibition of the various entertain-
ments I have defcribed, I began to have time to look about
me. Accordingly, next day, I took a walk into the ifland of
Lefooga, of which I was defirous to obtain fome know-
ledge. I found it to be, in fevefal refpedts, fuperior to An-
namooka. The plantations were both more numerous, and
more extenfive. In many places, indeed, toward the fea, ef-
pecially on the Eafl; fide, the country is ftill wafte ; owing,
perhaps, to the fandy foil ; as it is much lower than Anna-
mooka, and its furrounding ifles. But, toward the middle
of the illand, the foil is better ; and the marks of confider-
able population, and of improved cultivation, were very
confpicuous. For we met here with very large plantations,
inclofed in fuch a manner, that the fences running parallel
1777-
May.
to
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
257
to each other, form fine fpacious public roads, that would 1777.
appear ornamental in countries where rural conveniences
have been carried to the greatefi: perfe61:ion. We obferved
large fpots covered with the paper mulberry-trees ; and the
plantations, in general, were well flocked with fuch roots
and fruits as are the natural produce of the ifland. To
thefe I made fome addition, by fowing the feeds of Indian
corn, melons, pumpkins, and the like. At one place was
a houfe, four or five times as large as thofe of the com-
mon fort, with a large area of grafs before it ; and, I take
it for granted, the people refort thither on certain public
occafions. Near the landing-place, we faw a mount, two
or three feet high, covered with gravel ; and on it ftood
four or five fmall huts, in which, the natives told us,
the bodies of fome of their principal people had been
interred.
The ifiand is not above feven miles long ; and, in fome
places, not above two or three broad. The Eafi; fide of it,
which is expofed to the trade-wind, has a reef, running to
a confiderable breadth from it, on which the fea breaks
with great violence. It is a continuation of this reef that
joins Lefooga to Foa, which is not above half a mile
difiant ; and, at low water, the natives can walk upon this
reef, which is then partly dry, from the one ifland to the
other. The fhore itfelf is either a coral rock, fix or feven
feet high, or a fandy beach ; but higher than the Weft
fide ; which, in general, is not more than three or four
feet from the level of the fea, with a fandy beach its whole
length.
When I returned from my excurfion into the country,
and went on board to dinner, I found a large failing canoe
fall: to the fhip’s ftern. In this canoe was Latooliboula,
VoL. I. ' LI whom
258
A VOYAGE TO
1777. whom I had feen at Tongataboo, during my laft voyage;
, . ^md who was then fuppoled by us to be the King of that
illand. He fat in the canoe, with all that gravity, by whichj
as I have mentioned in my Journal he was fo remarka-
bly diftinguiflied at that time ; nor could I, by any intrea-
ties, prevail upon him now to come into the fliip. Many
of the illanders were prefent ; and they all called him
Areekee^ which lignifies King. I had never heard any one
of them give this title to F eenou, however extenlive his au-
thority over them, both here, and at Annamooka, had ap-
peared to be ; which had, all along, inclined me to fufpedl,
that he was not the King ; though his friend Taipa had
taken pains to make me believe he was. Latooliboula re-
mained under the ftern till the evening, when he retired in
his canoe to one of the iflands. Feenou was on board my
fliip at the fame time ; but neither of thefe great men took
the lead; notice of the other.
Thurfday 22. Nothing material happened the next day, except that
fome of the natives hole a tarpaulin, and other things,
/
* See Captain Cook’s Voyage, Vol. i. p. 206, 207. The name of this extraordinary
perfonage is there faid to be Kohagee too Fallangou ; which cannot, by the moft flcilful
etymologift, be tortured into the leaft moft diftant refemblance of Latooliboula. It is
remarkable, that Captain Cook ftiould not take any notice of his having called the fame
perfon by two names fo very different. Perhaps we may account for this by fuppofing one
to be the name of the perfon, and the other the defcription of his title or rank. This
fuppofition feems well founded, when we confider, that Latoo, in the language of thefe
people, is fometimes ufed to fignify a Great Chief ; and Dr. Forfter, in his Obfervatlons,
p. 378, 379. and elfewhere, fpeaks of the fovereign of Tongataboo, under the title of
their Latoo. This very perfon is called, by Dr. Forfter, p. 370. Latoo-Nlpooroo \ which
furnifties a very ftriking inftance of the variations of our people in writing down the fame
word as pronounced by the natives. However, we can eafdy trace the affinity between
Nipooroo and Lihoula, as the changes of the confonants are fuch as are perpetually made,
upon hearing a word pronounced, to which our ears have not been accuftomed. Mr.
Anderfon here agrees with Captain Cook in writing Latooliboula.
from
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
259
from off the deck. They were foon miffed, and the thieves 1777.
piirfued ; but a little too late. I applied, therefore, to . ■
Feenou, who, if he was not king, was at lead; veiled with
the highell authority here, to exert it, in order to have
my things reftored. He referred me to Earoupa ; who
put me off, from time to time ; and, at lall, nothing was
done.
In the morning of the 23d, as we were going to un- Friday 23.
moor, in order to leave the ifland, Feenou, and his prime-
minifter Taipa, came along-Iide in a failing canoe, and in-
formed me, that they were fetting out for Vavaoo, an
ifland, which, they faid, lies about two days fail to the
Northward of Hapaee. The obje£l of their voyage, they
would have me believe, was to get for me an additional
fupply of hogs, and fome red-feathered caps for Omai, to
carry to Otaheite, where they are in high efteem. Feenou
affured me, that he fliould be back in four or five days ;
and delired me not to fail till his return, when, he pro-
mifed, he would accompany me to Tongataboo. I thought
this a good opportunity to get fome knowledge of Vavaoo,
and propofed to him to go thither with the fliips. But he
feemed not to approve of the plan ; and, by way of divert-
ing me from it, told me, that there was neither harbour,
nor anchorage about it. I, therefore, confented to wait, in
my prefent llation, for his return ; and he immediately
fet out.
The next day, our attention was, for fome time, taken Saturday 24.
up with a report, induftrioully fpread about by fome of the
natives, that a fliip, like ours, had arrived at Annamooka
lince we left it ; and was now at anchor there. The pro-
pagators of the report were pleafed to add, that Toobou, the
Chief of that ifland, was haflening thither to receive thefe
L 1 2 new-
26o a V O Y a G E T O
1777- new-comers ; and as we knew that he had adlually left ns,
. we were the more ready to believe there might be fome
foundation for the flory of this unexpe(5ted arrival. How-
ever, to gain fome farther information, I went on lliore
with Omai, in quell of the man who, it was faid, had
brought the firll account of this event from Annamooka.
We found him at the houfe of Earoupa ; where Omai put
fuch quellions to him as I thought neceffary ; and the an-
fwers he gave, were fo clear and fatisfa6lory, that I had not
a doubt remaining. But, juft about this time, a Chief, of
fome note, whom we well knew, arrived from Annamooka ;
and declared, that no fliip was at that ifland, nor had been,
fince our leaving it. The propagator of the report, finding
himfelf detedled in a falfehood, inftantly withdrew, and we
faw no more of him. What end the invention of this tale
could anfwer, was not eafy to conjedlure ; unlefs we fuppofe
it to have been artfully contrived, to get us removed from
the one illand to the other.
Sunday 25. In my walk, on the 25th, I happened to ftep into a houfe,
where a woman was drelfing the eyes of a young child, who
feemed blind ; the eyes being much inflamed, and a thin
film fpread over them. The inftruments flie ufed were two
flender wooden probes, with which flie had bruflied the
eyes fo as to make them bleed. It feems worth mention-
ing, that the natives of thefe iflands fliould attempt an ope-
ration of this fort ; though I entered the houfe too late, to
defcribe exadlly how this female oculift employed the
wretched tools Ihe had to work with.
I was fortunate enough to fee a different operation going
on in the fame houfe, of which I can give a tolerable ac-
count. I found there another woman fliaving a child’s
head, with a fliark’s tooth, ftuck into the end of a piece of
flick.
THEPACIFICOCEAN. 261
Hick. I obferved, that flie firft wet the hair with a rag 1777.
dipped in water, applying her inftrument to that part which , .
file had previoully foaked. The operation feemed to give
no pain to the child ; although the hair was taken off as
clofe as if one of our razors had been employed. Encou-
raged by what I now faw, I, foon after, tried one of thefe
lingular inftruments upon myfelf, and found it to be an
excellent fuccedaneu7n. However, the men of thefe illands
have recourfe to another contrivance when they hiave their
beards. The operation is performed with two lliells ; one
of which they place under a fmall part of the beard, and
with the other, applied above, they fcrape that part off. In
this manner they are able to fliave very clofe. The pro-
cefs is, indeed, rather tedious, but not painful ; and there
are men amongft them who feem to profefs this trade.
It was as common, while we were here, to fee our failors
go afhore to have their beards fcraped off, after the fafliion
of Hapaee, as it was to fee their Chiefs come on board to be
lhaved by our barbers.
Finding that little or nothing of the produce of the illand
was now brought to the fliips, I refolved to change our
ftation, and to wait Feenou’s return from Vavaoo, in fome
other convenient anchoring-place, where refrefliments
might ftill be met with. Accordingly, in the forenoon
of the 26th, we got under fail, and flood to the Southward Monday 26.
along the reef of the illand ; having fourteen and thirteen
fathoms water, with a fandy bottom. However, we met
with fever al detached flioals. Some of them were difco-
vered by breakers ; fome, by the water upon them appearing
difcoloured; and others, by the lead. At half paft two in
the afternoon, having already palTed feveral of thefe llioals,
and feeing more of them before us, I hauled into a bay,
that
262
A VOYAGE TO
that lies between the South end of Lefooga, and the North
end of Hoolaiva, and there anchored in feventeen fathoms
water ; the bottom a coral-fand ; the point of Lefooga bear-
ing South Eaft by Ealf, a mile and a half diftant. The Uif-
covery did not get to an anchor till funfet. She had touched
upon one of the flioals ; but backed off again, without re-
ceiving any damage.
As foon as we had anchored, I fent Mr. Bligh to found
the bay where we were now ftationed ; and myfelf, accom-
panied by Mr. Gore, landed on the Southern part of Le-
fooga, to examine the country, and to look for fredi water.
Not that we now wanted a fupply of this article, having
filled all the calks at our late ftation ; but I had been told,
that this part of the ifiand could afford us fome, preferable
to any we had got at the former watering-place. This will
not be the only time I fliall have occafion to remark, that
thefe people do not know what good water is. We were
condudted to two wells ; but the water in both of them
proved to be execrable ; and the natives, our guides, afiured
us that they had none better.
Near the South end of the ifiand, and on the Weft: fide,
we met with an artificial mount. From the fize of fome
trees that were growing upon it, and from other appear-
ances, I guefied that it had been raifed in remote times. I
judged it to be about forty feet high; and the diameter
of its fummit meafured fifty feet. At the bottom of this
mount, flood a ftone, which muft have been hewn out of
coral rock. It was four feet broad, two and a half thick,
and fourteen high ; and we were told by the natives pre-
fent, that not above half its length appeared above ground.
They called it I’angata Arekee"^^ ; and faid, that it had been
* Tangata^ in their language, is man ; Arekce^ king.
fet
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
263
fet \ip, and the mount raifed, by fome of their forefathers, 1777.
in memory of one of their kings ; but how long fince, they ,
could not tell.
Night coming on, Mr. Gore and I returned on board;
and, at the fame time, Mr. Bligh got back from founding
the bay, in which he found from fourteen to twenty fa-
thoms water ; the bottom, for the mod: part, fand, but not
without fome coral rocks. The place where we now an-
chored is much better flieltered than that which we had
lately come from ; but between the two is another anchor-
ing ftation, much better than either. Lefooga and Hoolaiva
are divided from each other by a reef of coral rocks, which
is dry at low water ; fo that one may walk, at that time,
from the one to the other, without wetting a foot. Some
of our Gentlemen, who landed in the latter ifland, did not
find the lead: mark of cultivation, or habitation, upon it ;
except a fingle hut, the relidence of a man employed to
catch fifli and turtle. It is rather extraordinary, that it
diould be in this deferted ftate, communicating fo immedi-
ately with Lefooga, which is fo perfe6lly cultivated ; for,
though the foil is quite fandy, all the trees and plants found,
in a natural ftate, on the neighbouring illands, are pro-
duced here with the greated: vigour. The Ead: lide of it
has a reef like Lefooga; and the Wed: fide has a bending,
at the North part, where there feems to be good anchorage.
Uninhabited as Hoolaiva is, an artificial mount, like that
at the adjoining illand, has been- raifed upon it, as high as
fome of the furrounding trees.
At day-break, next morning, I made the fignal to weigh ; Tuefday 27.
and, as I intended to attempt a padage to Annamooka,
in my way to Tongataboo, by the South Wed:, amongd:
the intervening idands, I fent the Mader in a boat to
found
264
A VOYAGE T O
1777, I'oiind before the fliips. But before we w^ould get under
y . fail, the wind became unfettled ; which made it unfafe
to attempt a paffage this way, till we w'ere better ac-
quainted with it. I, therefore, lay faft, and made the fignal
for the Mafter to return ; and afterw^ard fent him and the
Mafter of the Difcovery, each in a boat, with inftru(5fions
to examine the channels, as far as they could, allowing
themfelves time to get back to the Blips before the clofe of
the day.
About noon, a large failing canoe came under our Bern,
in which was a perfon named Futtafaihe, or Poulaho, or
both ; who, as the natives then on board told us, w as King
of Tongataboo, and of all the neighbouring iflands that we
had feen or heard of. It was a matter of furprize to me, to
have a Branger introduced under this character, which I
had fo much reafon to believe really belonged to another.
But they perBBed in their account of the fupreme dig-
nity of this new viBter ; and now, for the BrB time, they
ow'ned to me, that Feenou was not the King, but only a
fubordinate Chief, though of great power ; as he was often
fent from Tongataboo to the other illands, on warlike expe-
ditions, or to decide difierences. It being my intereB, as
well as my inclination, to pay court to all the great men,
without making inquiry into the validity of their afllimed
titles, I invited Poulaho on board ; as I underBood he was
very defirous to come. He could not be an unwelcome
gueB; for he brought with him, as a prefent to me, tw'o
good fat hogs ; though not fo fat as himfelf. If weight of
body could give weight in rank or power, he was certainly
the moB eminent man in that refpedt, we had feen ; for,
though not very tall, he was very unwieldy, and almoB
fliapelefs with corpulence. He feemed to be about forty
years
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
265
years of age, had ftraight hair, and his features differed a 1777.
good deal from thofe of the bulk of his people. I found
him to be a fedate, fenfible man. He viewed the lliip, and
the feveral new objects, with uncommon attention ; and
afked many pertinent queftions ; one of which was. What
could induce us to vifit thefe illands ? After he had fatisfied
his curiolity in looking at the cattle, and other novelties
which he met with upon deck, I defired him to walk down
into the cabin. To this fome of his attendants obje61;ed,
faying, that, if he were to accept of that invitation, it muft
happen, that people would walk over his head ; which could
not be permitted. I direcSled my interpreter Omai, to tell
them, that I would obviate their obje6lion, by giving orders,
that no one fliould prefume to walk upon that part of the
deck which was over the cabin. Whether this expedient
would have fatisfied them, was far from appearing ; but the
Chief himfelf, lefs fcrupulous, in this refpedf, than his at-
tendants, waved all ceremony, and walked down without
any flipulation. He now appeared to be as folicitous him-
felf, as his people were, to convince us that he was king,
and not Feenou, who had paffed with us as fuch. For he
foon perceived, that we had fome doubts about it ; which
doubts Omai was not very defirous of removing. The
clofefl connection had been formed between him and Fee-
nou, in teftimony of which, they had exchanged names ;
and, therefore, he was not a little chagrined, that another
perfon now put in his claim to the honours which his
friend had hitherto enjoyed.
Poulaho fat down with us to dinner ; but he eat little, and
drank lefs. When we rofe from the table, he defired me to
accompany him afhore. Omai was afked to be of the party ;
but he was too faithfully attached to Feenou, to fhew any
VoL. I. Mm attention
2.66
A VOYAGE TO
Av
attention to his competitor; and, therefore, excnfed him-
felf. I attended the Chief in my own boat, having firft
made prefents to him, of fuch articles as, I could obferve,
he valued much, and were even beyond his expectation to
receive. I Avas not difappointed in my view of thus fecur-
ing his friendfliip ; for the moment the boat reached the
beach, and, before he quitted her, he ordered two more
hogs to be brought, and delivered to my people to be con-
veyed on board. He was then carried out of the boat, by
fome of his own people, upon a board refembling a hand-
barrow, and went and feated himfelf in a fmall houfe near
the fliore ; which feemed to have been eredfed there for his
accommodation. He placed me at his hde ; and his attend-
ants, who Avere not numerous, feated themfelves in a femi-
circle before us, on the outlide of the houfe. Behind the
Chief, or rather on one fide, fat an old Avoman, Avith a fort
of fan in her hand, whofe office it Avas to prevent his being
peftered with the flies.
The feveral articles which his people had got, by trading
on board the fhips, Avere noAV difplayed before him. He
looked over them all, Avith attention, inquired Avhat they
had given in exchange, and feemed pleafed with the bar-
gains they had made. At length, he ordered every thing to
be reftored to the refpecflive oAvners, except a glafs boAvl,
with Avhich he was fo much pleafed, that he referved it for
himfelf. The perfons who brought thefe things to him,
flrft fquatted themfelves doAvn before him, then they depo-
fited their feveral purchafes, and immediately rofe up and
retired. The fame refpe6lful ceremony Avas obferved in
taking them aAvay ; and not one of them prefumed to fpeak
to him Handing. I flayed till feveral of his attendants left
liim, firfl paying him obeifance, by boAving the head down
to
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
267
to the foie of his foot, and touching or tapping the fame, 1777.
with the upper and under fide of the fingers of both hands. . ,
Others, who were not in the circle, came, as it feemed, on
purpofe, and paid him this mark of refpe61:, and then re-
tired, without fpeaking a word. I was quite charmed with
the decorum that was obferved. I had, no where, feen the
like, not even amongft more civilized nations.
I found the mafter returned from his expedition, when I
got on board. He informed me, that, as far as he had pro-
ceeded, there was anchorage, and a paffage for the fliips ;
but that, toward the South and South Eaft, he faw a num-
ber of fmall illes, llioals, and breakers. Judging, from this
report, that my attempting a paffage that way would be at-
tended with fome rifk, I now dropped all thoughts of it ;
thinking it better to return toward Annamooka by the
fame route, which we had fo lately experienced to be a
fafe one.
Having come to this refolution, I fliould have failed next Wednef. 28.
morning, if the wind had not been too far Southerly, and,
at the fame time, very unfettled. Poulaho, the king, as I
fliall now call him, came on board betimes ; and brought,
as a prefent to me, one of their caps, made, or, at leaff,
covered, with red feathers. Thefe caps were much fought
after by us ; for we knew they would be highly valued at
Otaheite. But, though very large prices were offered, not
one was ever brought for fale ; which fliewed, that they
were no lefs valuable in the eflimation of the people here ;
nor was there a perfon in either fliip, that could make him-
felf the proprietor of one, except myfelf. Captain Clerke,
and Omai. Thefe caps, or rather bonnets, are compofed
of the tail feathers of the Tropic bird, with the red fea-
thers of the parroquets wrought upon them, or jointly with
M m 2 them.
268
A VOYAGE TO
1777. them. They are made fo as to tie upon the forehead with-
. . out any crown, and have the form of a femicircle, whofe
radius is eighteen or twenty inches. But a drawing which ^
Mr. Webber has made of Poulaho, drefled in one of thefe
bonnets, will convey the heft idea of them. The Chief
ft ayed on board till the evening, when he left us ; but his
brother, whofe name was alfo Futtafaihe, and one or two, or
more, of his attendants, continued in the Ihip all night.
Thurfday 29. At day-break, the next morning, I weighed with a fine
breeze, at Eaft North Eaft, and ftood to the Weftward,
with a view to return to Annamooka, by the track we
had already experienced. We were followed by fever al
failing canoes, in one of which was the king. As foon
as he got on board the Refolution, he inquired for his
brother, and the others who had remained with us all
night. It now appeared, that they had ftayed without his
leave ; for he gave them, in a very few words, fuch a re-
primand as brought tears from their eyes ; and yet they
were men not lefs than thirty years of age. He was,
however, foon reconciled to their making a longer ftay ;
for, on quitting us, he left his brother, and five of his at-
tendants, on board. We had alfo the company of a Chief,
juft then arrived from Tongataboo, whofe name was Too-
boueitoa. The moment he arrived, he fent his canoe
away, and declared, that he and five more, who came
with him, would fteep on board ; fo that I had now my
cabin filled with vifiters. This, indeed, was fome incon-
venience ; but I bore with it more willingly, as they brought
plenty of provifions with them, as prefents to me ; for
which they ahvays had fuitable returns.
About one o’clock in the afternoon, the Eafterly wind w^as
fucceeded by a frefli breeze at South South Eaft. Our courfe,
now
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
269
now being South South Weft, or more Southerly, we were
obliged to ply to windward, and did but juft fetch the North
lide of Footooha by eight o’clock, where we fpent the
night, making fhort boards.
The next morning we plyed up to Lofanga, where,
according to the information of our friends, there was an-
chorage. It was one o’clock in the afternoon, before we
got foundings, under the lee or North Weft fide, in forty
fathoms water, near half a mile from the fliore ; but the
bank was fteep, and the bottom rocky, and a chain of
breakers lay to leeward. All thefe circumftances being
againft us, I ftretched away for Kotoo, with the expectation
of finding better anchoring ground under that ifland. But
fo much time had been fpent in plying up to Lofanga,
that it was dark before we reached the other ; and, finding
no place to anchor in, the night was fpent as the preced-
ing one.
At day-break, on the 31ft, I ftood for the channel which
is between Kotoo, and the reef of rocks that lie to the
Weft ward of it ; but, on drawing near, I found the wind
too fcant to lead us through. I, therefore, bore up on the
outfide of the reef, and ftretched to the South Weft, till near
noon, when, perceiving that we made no progrefs to wind-
ward, and being apprehenlive of lofing the illands, with fo
many of the natives on board, I tacked and ftood back, in-
tending to wait till fome more favourable opportunity. We
did but juft fetch in with Footooha, between which and
Kotoo we fpent the night, under reefed topfails and forefail.
The wind blew frefli, and by fqualls, with rain ; and we
were not without apprehenfions of danger. I kept the deck
till midnight, when I left it to the Mafter, with fuch direc-
tions as, I thought, would keep the fliips clear of the fhoals
and
1777-
May.
V
Friday 30.
Saturday 34.
270
A V O Y A G E TO
1777. and rocks, that lay round us. But, after making a trip to
. the North, and handing back again to the South, our Ihip,
by a fmall fliift of the wind, fetched farther to the wind-
ward than was expe61:ed. By this means flie was very near
running full upon a low fandy ille, called Pootoo Pootooa,
furrounded with breakers. It happened, very fortunately,
that the people had juft been ordered upon the deck, to put
the fliip about, and the moft of them were at their ftations ;
fo that the neceffary movements were not only executed
with judgment, but alfo with alertnefs ; and this alone faved
us from deftru(5lion. The Difcovery being aftern, w'as out
of danger. Such, hazardous fituations are the unavoid-
able companions of the man, who goes upon a voyage of
difcovery.
This circumftance frightened our paffengers fo much,
that they exprefled a ftrong deftre to get afliore. Accord-
Sunday i. ingly, as foon as day -light returned, I hoifted out a boat,
and ordered the Officer who commanded hei'j after land-
ing them at Kotoo, to found along the reef that fpits off
from that ifland, for anchorage. For I was full as much
tired as they could be, with beating about amongft the
furrounding ifles and flibals, and determined to get to an
anchor, fomewhere or other, if poffible. While the boat
was abfent, we attempted to turn the fliips through the
channel, between the fandy ifle and the reef of Kotoo, in
expeblation of finding a moderate depth of water behind
them to anchor in. But, meeting with a tide or current
againft us, we were obliged to defift, and anchor in fifty fa-
thoms water, with the fandy ille bearing Eaft by North, one
mile diftant.
We lay here till the 4th. While in this ftation we
were, feveral times, vifited by the king, by Tooboueitoa,
. and
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
271
and by people from the neighbouring iflands, who came 1777.
off to trade with us, though the wind blew very frefli ,
mod; of the time. The mailer was now fent to found the
channels between the iflands that lie to the Eallward ; and
I landed on Kotoo, to examine it, in the forenoon of
the 2d. Monday 2.
This illand is fcarcely accellible by boats, on account of
coral reefs that furround it. It is not more than a mile
and half, or two miles, long ; and not fo broad. The North
Well end of it is low, like the illands of Hapaee ; but it riles
fuddenly in the middle, and terminates in reddilh clayey
cliffs, at the South Eall end, about thirty feet high. The
foil, in that quarter, is of the fame fort as in the cliffs ; but,
in the other parts, it is a loofe, black mould. It produces
the fame fruits and roots which we found at the other
iilands ; is tolerably cultivated, but thinly inhabited. While
I ^vas walking all over it, our people were employed in
cutting fome grafs for the cattle ; and we planted fome me-
lon feeds, with which the natives feemed much pleafed, and
inclofed them with branches. On our return to the boat,
we paffed by two or three ponds of dirty water, which was
more or lefs brackifli in each of them ; and faw one of their
burying-places, which was much neater than thofe that
were met with at Hapaee.
On the 4th, at feven in the morning, we weighed ; and, Wedner. 4.
with a fredi gale at Eall South Eall, Hood away for Anna-
mooka, where we anchored, next morning, nearly in the Thaifday
fame llation which we had fo lately occupied.
1 went on lliore foon after, and found the inhabitants
very bufy in their plantations, digging up yams to bring to
market ; and, in the courfe of the day, about two hundred
of them had affem^^led on the beach, and traded with as
mucli
^72
A VOYAGE TO
*777-
june.
V, I./
Friday 6.
much eagernefs, as during our late vifit. Their flock ap-
peared to have been recruited much, though we had re-
turned fo foon ; but, inflead of bread-fruit, which was the
only article we could purchafe on our firfl arrival, nothing
was to be feen now but yams, and a few plantains. This
fliews the quick fucceflion of the feafons, at leafl of the dif-
ferent vegetables produced here, at the feveral times of the
year. It appeared alfo that they had been very bufy, while
we were abfent, in cultivating ; for we now faw feveral large
plantain fields, in places which we had, fo lately, feen lying
wafle. The yams were now in the greatefl perfecflion ; and
we procured a good quantity, in exchanges for pieces of
iron.
Thefe people, in the abfence of Toobou, whom we left
behind us at Kotoo, with Poulaho and the other Chiefs,
feemed to be under little fubordination. For we could not
perceive, this day, that one man afiTumed more authority
than another. Before I returned on board, I vifited the
feveral places where I had fown melon feeds, and had the
mortification to find, that mofl of them were deflroyed by
a fmall ant ; but fome pine-apple plants, which I had alfo
left, were in a thriving flate.
About noon, next day, Feenou arrived from Vavaoo. He
told us, that feveral canoes, laden with hogs, and other
provifions, which had failed with him from that illand, had
been lofl, owing to the late blowing weather; and that every
body on board them had perifhed. This melancholy tale
did not feem to affedl any of his countrymen who heard it ;
and, as to ourfelves, we were, by this time, too well ac-
quainted with his charadler, to give much credit to fuch a
ftory. The truth, probably, was, that he had not been able
to procure at Vavaoo the fupplies which he expected ; or, if
he
THEPACIFICOCEAN. 273
he got any there, that he had left them at Hapaee, which 1777.
lay in his way back, and where he could not but receive . .
intelligence that Poulaho had been with us ; who, there-
fore, he knew, would, as his fuperior, have all the merit
and rew'ard of procuring them, though he had not any
lliare of the trouble. The invention of this lofs at fea
was, however, well imagined. For there had lately been
very blowing weather; in fo much, that the King, and
other Chiefs, who had followed us from Hapaee to
Kotoo, had been left there, not caring to 'venture to
fea when we did ; but delired I might wait for them at
Annamooka, which was the reafon of my anchoring there,
this fecond time, and of my not proceeding directly to
Tongataboo.
The following morning, Poulaho, and the other Chiefs Saturday 7.
who had been wind-bound with him, arrived. I happened,
at this time, to be afliore in company with Feenou ; who
now feemed to be fenfible of the impropriety of his con-
dud, in affuming a charader that did not belong to him.
For he not only acknowledged Poulaho to be King of
Tongataboo, and the other illes ; but affeded to infift
much on it, which, no doubt, was with a view' to make
amends for his former prefumption. I left him, to vifit
this greater man, whom I found fitting with a few people
before him. But, every one haftening to pay court to him,
the circle increafed pretty fafi:. I was very defirous of ob-
ferving Feenou’s behaviour on this occafion ; and had the
mofi: convincing proof of his fuperiority ; for he placed
himfelf amongft the reft that fat before Poulaho, as atten-
dants on his majefty. He feemed, at firft, rather abaflied ;
as fome of us w'ere prefent w'ho had been ufed to fee him
ad a different part ; but he foon recovered himfelf. Some
VoL. I. N n little
274
A. VOYAGE TO
1777-
June.
Sunday 8.
little converfation paffed between thefe two Chiefs, which
none of ns underftood ; nor were we fatisfied with Omai’s
interpretation of it. We were, however, by this time,
fnfficiently undeceived as to Feenou’s rank. Both he and
Ponlaho went on board with me to dinner ; but only the
latter fat at table. Feenou, having made his obeifance, in
the ufual way, fainting his fovereign’s foot with his head
and hands, retired out of the cabin The king had be-
fore told ns, that this would happen ; and it now appeared,
that Feenou could not even eat nor drink in his royal pre-
fence.
At eight o’clock, next morning, we weighed and fleer-
ed for Tongataboo, having a gentle breeze at North Eafl.
About fourteen or fifteen failing veflels, belonging to the
natives, fet out with us ; but every one of them outrun the
fhips confiderably. Feenou was to have taken his paflage
in the Refolution ; but preferred his own canoe ; and put
two men on board, to condu6l us to the befl anchorage.
We fleered South by Wefl by compafs.
At five in the afternoon we faw two fmall iflands, bear-
* Marks of profound refpe£l, very fimilar to thofe paid by natives of the Friendly
Iflands to their fovereign, are alfo paid to the principal Chiefs, or Tamoles of the Caroline
Iflands, as appears from father Cantova’s account here tranfcribed. “ Lorfqu’un Tamole
donne audience, il paroit aflis fur une table elevee : les peuples s’inclinent devant lui
“ jufqu’a terre ; & du plus loin qu’ils arrivent, ils marchent le corps tout courbe, & la
“ tete prefqu’entre les genoux, jufqu’a ce qu’ils foient aupres de fa perfonne ; alors ils
“ s’afleyent a plate terre ; &, les yeux baifles, ils resolvent fes ordres avec le plus profond
“ refpeft. Quand le Tamole les congedie, ils fe retirent, en fe courbant de la meme
“ maniere que quand ils font venus, & ne fe relevent que lorfqu’ils font hors de fa pre-
“ fence. Ses paroles font autant d’oracles qu’on revere ; on rend a fes ordres une
“ obeiflance aveugle ; enfin, on baife les mains & les pieds, quand on lui demande
“ quelque grace.” Lettres Edijiantes ^ Cuneufes^ Tom. xv. p. 312, 313.
ing
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
275
ing Weft, about four leagues diftant. Our pilots called the
one Hoonga Hapaee, and the other Hoonga Tonga. They
lie in the latitude of 20*^ 36' ; and ten or eleven leagues
from the Weft point of Annamooka, in the diredtion of
South, 46° Weft. According to the account of the iflanders
on board, only five men refide upon Hoonga Hapaee ; and
Hoonga Tonga is uninhabited ; but both of them abound
with fea-fowl.
We continued the fame courfe till two o’clock next Monday 9.
morning, when, feeing fome lights ahead, and not know-
ing whether they were on fliore, or on board the canoes,
WQ hauled the wind, and made a fliort trip, each way, till
day-break. We then refumed our courfe to the South by
Weft ; and, prefently after, faw feveral fmall illands before
us, and Eooa and Tongataboo beyond them. We had, at
this time, twenty-five fathoms water, over a bottom of
broken coral and fand. The depth gradually decreafed as
we drew near the ifles above mentioned, which lie ranged
along the North Eaft fide of Tongataboo. By the direc-
tion of our pilots we fteered for the middle of it, and for
the wideft fpace between the fmall ifles which we were to
pafs ; having our boats ahead, employed in founding.
We were, infenfibly, drawn upon a large fiat, upon which
lay innumerable coral rocks, of different depths, below
the furface of the water. Notwithftanding all our care
and attention to keep the fliip clear of them, we could not
prevent her from ftriking on one of thefe rocks. Nor
did the Difcovery, though behind us, efcape any better.
Fortunately, neither of the fliips ftuck faft, nor received
any damage. We could not get back without increafing
the danger, as we had come in almoft before the wind.
Nor could we caft anchor, but with the certainty of having
N n 2 our
*777-
June.
276
A VOYAGE TO
1777. our cables inftantly cut in two by the rocks. We had no
. . other refource but to proceed. To this, indeed, we were
encouraged, not only by being told, but by feeing, that
there was deeper water between us and the Ihore. How-
ever, that we might be better informed, the moment we
found a fpot where we could drop the anchor, clear of
rocks, we came to ; and fent the Mailers, with the boats,
to found.
Soon after we had anchored, which was about noon, fe-
ver al of the inhabitants of Tongataboo came off in their
canoes to the Ihips. Thefe, as well as our pilots, alfured
us, that we lliould find deep water farther in, and a bottom
free from rocks. They were not millaken; for, about four
o’clock, the boats made the fignal for having found good
anchorage. Upon this we weighed, and Hood in till dark,
and then anchored in nine fathoms, having a fine, clear,
fandy bottom.
During the night we had fome lliowers of rain ; but to-
ward the morning, the wind Ihifted to the South, and South
Tuefday 10. Eall, and brought on fair Weather. At day-break we weigh-
ed, and, working in to the fhore, met with no obfi:ru6lions,
but fuch as were vifible, and eafily avoided.
While we were plying up to the harbour, to which the
natives directed us, the king kept failing round us in
his canoe. There were, at the fame time, a great many
fmall canoes about the Ihips. Two of thefe, which could
not get out of the way of his royal velfel, he run quite
over, with as little concern, as if they had been bits of
wood. Amongll many others who came on board the Re-
fblution, was Otago ’-b who had been fo ufeful to me when
I vifited Tongataboo during my lalt voyage ; and one Too-
* See a print of him in Captain Cook’s Vopge, Vol. i. p. 197.
bou,
S A' A- T r 1/
Tongataboo Hakbovk.
y//-
a SMum /o.,/uy{c . b S/////<m2<>
ObTcrvaloiyrouit - ■”‘,'4
ll^oivg’ 184 /fi£.
SS-sj JS
.1- Xautio 5 Afilcs
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
boil, who, at that time, had attached himfelf to Captain 1777.
Furneaux. Each of them brought a hog, and fome yams, , ,
as a teftimony of his friendfhip ; and I was not wanting, on
my part, in making a fuitable return.
At length, about two in the afternoon, we arrived at our
intended ftation. It was a very fnug place, formed by the
Ihore of Tongataboo on the South Eaft, and two fmall
iflands on the Eaft and North Eaft. Here we anchored in
ten fathoms water, over a bottom of oozy fand, diftant
from the fhore one-third of a mile.
CHAP.
-78 A V O Y A G E T O
CHAP. VII.
Friendly Reception at Fo7igatahoo, — Manner of dijlributing a
baked Hog and Kava to Poulaho'’s Attendants. — Fhe Ob-
fervatory, &c. eredled. — Fbe Village where the Chiefs rejide-t
and the adjoining Country-^ defcribed. — Interviews with Ma-
reewagee-, and 'Toobou, and the King's Son. — A grand
Haiva, or entertainment of Songs and Dances, given by
Mareevoagee. — exhibition of Fireworks. — Manner of IVreJl-
ling and Boxing. — Dijiribution of the Cattle. — Thefts cojti-
fnitted by the Natives. — Poulaho, and the other Chiefs, con-
fined on that Account. — Poulaho's Prefent, and Haiva.
1777* OOON after we had anchored, having firft dined, I
O landed, accompanied by Omai, and fome of the Of-
Tuefday lo. ficci's. Wc found the king waiting for ns upon the beach.
He, immediately, conducted us to a fmall neat houfe, htu-
ated a little within the fkirts of the wood, with a fine large
area before it. This houfe, he told me, was at my fervice,
during our flay at the illand ; and a better fituation we
could not wifh for.
We had not been long in the houfe, before a pretty large
circle of the natives were affembled before us, and feated
upon the area. A root of the kava plant being brought, and
laid down before the king, he ordered it to be fplit into
pieces, and diftributed to feveral people of both fexes, who
began the operation of chewing it ; and a bowl of their fa-
vourite
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
279
vourite liquor was foon prepared. In the mean time, a 1777.
baked hog, and two bafkets of baked yams, were produced, . .
and afterward divided into ten portions. Thefe portions
were then given to certain people prefent ; but how many
were to fhare in each, I could not tell. One of them, I
obferved, was bellowed upon the king’s brother ; and one
remained undifpofed of, which, I judged, was for the
king himfelf, as it was a choice bit. The liquor was next
ferved out ; but Poulaho feemed to give no directions
about it. The firll cup was brought to him, which he
ordered to be given to one who fat near him. The fecond
was alfo brought to him, and this he kept. The third
was given to me ; but their manner of brewing having
quenched my thirll, it became Omai’s property. The reft
of the liquor was diftributed to different people, by direc-
tion of the man who had the management of it. One of
the cups being carried to the king’s brother, he retired
with this, and with his mefs of victuals. Some others
alfo quitted the circle with their portions ; and the reafon
was, they could neither eat nor drink in the royal prefence ;
but there were others prefent, of a much inferior rank, of
both fexes, who did both. Soon after, moft of them with-
drew, carrying with them what they had not eat of their
lliare of the feaft.
I obferved, that not a fourth part of the company had
tailed either the viCluals or the drink ; thofe who partook
of the former, I fuppofed to be of the king’s houlliold. The
feiwants who diftributed the baked meat, and the kava^ al-
ways delivered it out of their hand fitting, not only to the
king, but to every other perfon. It is worthy of remark,
though this was the firll time of our landing, and a great
many people were prefent who had never feen us before,
yet
28o
A VOYAGE TO
«/77-
June.
Wcdtef. 1 1
yet no one was troublefome ; but the greateft good order
, was prelerved, throughout the w'hole affembly.
Before I returned on board, I went in fearch of a water-
ing place, and was conducSted to fome ponds, or rather holes,
containing frefli water, as they were pleafed to call it. The
contents of one of thefe, indeed, were tolerable ; but it was
at fome diftance inland, and the fupply to be got from it
was very inconfiderable. Being informed, that the little
ill and of Pangimodoo, near which the Blips lay, could
better furnifli this neceffary article, I w^ent over to it, next
. morning, and was fo fortunate as to find there a fmall pool,
that had rather freflier water, than any we had met with
amongft; thefe iflands. The pool being very dirty, I or-
dered it to be cleaned ; and here it was that we watered
the Blips.
As I intended to make fome Bay at Tongataboo, ive
pitched a tent, in the forenoon, juB by the houfe which
Poulaho had alfigned for our ufe. The horf^s, cattle, and
Bleep, were afterward landed, and a party of marines,
with their Ofiicer, Bationed there as a guard. The obfer-
vatory was then fet up, at a fmall diBance from the other
tent ; and Mr. King refided on Biore, to attend the obfer-
vations, and to fuperintend the feveral operations neceflary
to be conduced there. For the fails were carried thither,
to be repaired ; a party was employed in cutting w^ood for
fuel, and plank for the ufe of the Blips ; and the gunners
of both, were ordered to remain upon the fpot, to conducB
the trafiic with the natives, who thronged from every part
of the iBand, with hogs, yams, cocoa-nuts, and other arti-
cles of their produce. In a Biort time, our land poB was
like a fair, and the Blips were fo crowded with vifiters, that
we had hardly room to Bir upon the decks.
Feenoii
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
281
Feenoii had taken up his refidence in our neighbourhood ; 1777.
hut he was no longer the leading man. However, we ftill .
found him to be a perfon of confequence, and we had daily
proofs of his opulence and liberality, by the continuance of
his valuable prefents. But the king was equally attentive
in this refpe6l ; for fcarcely a day pafled, without receiving
from him fome conliderable donation. We now heard, that
there were other great men of the ifland, whom we had
not, as yet, feen. Otago and Toobon, in particular, men-
tioned a perfon named Mareewagee, who, they faid, was
of the firfl confequence in the place, and held in great ve-
neration ; nay, if Omai did not mifunderftand them, fupe-
perior even to Poulaho, to whom he was related ; but, being
old, lived in retirement; and, therefore, would not vilit us.
Some of the natives even hinted, that he was too great a
man to confer that honour upon us. This account exciting
my curiofity, I, this day, mentioned to Poulaho, that I was
very dehrous of waiting upon Mareewagee ; and he readily
agreed to accompany me, to the place of his rehdence, the
next morning.
Accordingly, we fet out, pretty early, in the pinnace; Thurf. 12.
and Captain Gierke joined me in one of his own boats.
We proceeded round, that is, to the Eaftward of the little illes
that form the harbour, and then, turning to the South, ac-
cording to Poulaho’s diredlions, entered a fpacious bay or
inlet, up which we rowed about a league, and landed amidft
a conliderable number of people, who received us with a '
fort of acclamation, not unlike our huzzaing. They im-
mediately feparated, to let Poulaho pafs, who took us into a
fmall inclofure, and drifted the piece of cloth he wore, for
a new piece, neatly folded, that was carried by a young
man. An old woman allifbed in drelhirg him, and put a
VoL. I, O o mat
282
A VOYAGE TO
1777. mat over his cloth; as we fuppofed, to prevent its being
. . dirtied when he fat down. On our now afking him where
Mareewagee was, to our great furprize, he faid, he had
gone from the place, to the Ihip, juft before we arrived.
However, he deftred us to Avalk with him to a malaee^ or
houfe of public refort, which ftood about half a mile up
the country. But when we came to a large area before it,
he fat down in the path, and deftred us to walk up to the
houfe. We did fo, and feated ourfelves in front, while the
crowd that followed us ftlled up the reft of the fpace. After
fttting a little while, we repeated our inquiries, by means of
Omai, Whether we were to fee Mareewagee ? But receiving
no fatisfa6lory information, and fufpedling that the old
Chief Avas purpofely concealed from us, we went back to
our boats, much piqued at our difappointment ; and when
I got on board, I found that no fuch perfon had been there.
It afterward appeared, that, in this affair, we had laboured
under fome grofs miftakes, and that our interpreter Omai
had either been miftnformed, or, which is more likely, had
mifunder ftood what was told him about the great man, on
whofe account we had made this excurfton.
The place we went to was a village, moft delightfully
fttuated on the bank of the inlet, where all, or moft of the
principal perfons of the illand reftde ; each having his houfe
in the midft of a fmall plantation, with leffer houfes, and
offices for fervants. Thefe plantations are neatly fenced
round; and, for the moft part, have only one entrance.
This is by a door, faftened, on the inftde, by a prop of wood ;
fo that a perfon has to knock, before he can get admittance.
Public roads, and narrow lanes, lie between each planta-
tion ; fo that no one trefpaffeth upon another. Great part
of fome of thefe inclofures is laid out in grafs-plots, and
planted
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
283
planted with fuch things as feem more for ornament than 1777.
ufe. But hardly any where without the kava plant, from . .
w'hich they make their favourite liquor. Every article of
the vegetable produce of the ifland, abounded in others of
thefe plantations ; but thefe, I obferved, are not the refi-
dence of people of the firft rank. There are fome large
houfes near the public roads, with fpacious fmooth grafs-
plots before them, and uninclofed. Thefe, I was told, be-
longed to the king; and, probably, they are the places
where their public alTemblies are held. It was to one of
thefe houfes, as I have already mentioned, that we were
condudled, foon after our landing at this place.
About noon, the next day, this Mareewagee, of whom Friday 13.
we had heard fo much, a(51:ually came to the neighbour-
hood of our poll: on fhore ; and, with him, a very confide-
rable number of people of all ranks. I was informed, that
he had taken this trouble, on purpofe to give me an oppor-
tunity of waiting upon him ; having, probably, heard of
the difpleafure I had Iliewn, on my difappointment the day
before. In the afternoon, a party of us, accompanied by
Feenou, landed, to pay him a vilit. We found a perfon
fitting under a large tree, near the fhore, a little to the
right of the tent. A piece of cloth, at lead: forty yards
long, was fpread before him, round which a great number
of people, of both fexes, were feated. It was natural to
fuppofe, that this was the great man ; but we were unde-
ceived by Feenou; who informed us, that another, who
fat on a piece of mat, a little way from this Chief, to the
right hand, was Mareewagee, and he introduced us to him,
who received us very kindly, and delired us to fit down by
him. The perfon, who fat under the tree, fronting us,
was called Toobou ; and, when I have occafion to fpeak of
O o 2 him
284
1777-
June.
V- >
Saturday 14.
AVOYAGETO
him afterward, I lhall call him old Toobou, to diftingtiifli
him from his namefake, Captain Fumeaux’s friend. Both he
and Mareewagee had a venerable appearance. The latter
is a llender man, and, from his appearance, feems to be
conliderably above threefcore years of age. The former is
rather corpulent, and almoft blind with a diforder of his
eyes ; though not fo old.
Not expecting to meet with two Chiefs, on this occalion,
I had only brought on fliore a prefent for one. This I now
found myfelf under a neceffity of dividing between them ;
but it happened to be pretty conliderable, and both of them
feemed fatisfied. After this, we entertained them, for about
an hour, with the performance of two French horns, and a
drum. But they feemed moft pleafed with the firing off a
piftol, which Captain Clerke had in his pocket. Before I
took my leave, the large piece of cloth was rolled up, and,
with a few cocoa-nuts, prefented to me.
The next morning, old Toobou returned my vifit on
board the fhip. He alfo vilited Captain Clerke ; and if the
prefent we made to him, the evening before, was fcanty,
the deficiency was now made up. During this time, Ma-
reewagee vifited our people afhore ; and Mr. King fliewed
to him every thing we had there. He viewed the cattle
with great admiration ; and the crofs-cut faw fixed his at-
tention for fome time.
Toward noon, Poulaho returned from the place where
we had left him two days before, and brought with him his
fon, a youth about twelve years of age. I had his company
at dinner ; but the fon, though prefent, was not allowed to
fit down with him. It was very convenient to have him for
my gueft. For when he was prefent, which was generally
the cafe while we flayed here, every other native was
excluded
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
285
excluded from the table; and but few of them would re- 1777.
main in the cabin. Whereas, if, by chance, it happened , ,
that neither he nor Feenou were on board, the inferior
Chiefs would be very importunate to be of our dining party,
or to be admitted into the cabin at that time ; and then we
were fo crowded, that we could not fit down to a meal with
any fatisfa6lion. The king was very foon reconciled to our
manner of cookery. But ftill, I believe, he dined thus fre-
quently with me, more for the fake of what we gave him
to drink, than for what we fet before him to eat. For he
had taken a liking to our wine, could empty his bottle as
well as mofi; men, and was as cheerful over it. He now
fixed his refidence at the houfe, or Malaee^ by our tent ; and
there he entertained our people, this evening, with a dance.
To the furprize of every body, the unwieldy Poulaho en-
deavoured to vie with others, in that aiStive amufement.
In the morning of the 15th, I received a mefiTage from Sunday 15,
old Toobou, that he wanted to fee me afhore. Accordingly
Omai and I went to wait upon him. We found him, like
an ancient patriarch, feated under the fhade of a tree, with a
large piece of the cloth, made in the illand, fpread out at
full length before him ; and a number of refpe6lably look-
ing people fitting round it. He defired us to place ourfelves
by him ; and then he told Omai, that the cloth, together
with a piece of red feathers, and about a dozen cocoa-nuts,
were his prefent to me. I thanked him for the favour ;
and defired he would go on board with me, as I had nothing
on fliore to give him in return.
Omai now left me, being fent for by Poulaho ; and, foon
after, Feenou came, and acquainted me that young Fatta-
faihe, Poulaho’s fon, defired to fee me. I obeyed the fum-
monS; and found the prince, and Omai, fitting under a
large
286
A VOYAGE TO
’777*
June.
I
large canopy of the finer fort of cloth ; with a piece of the
coarfer fort, fpread under them and before them, that was
feventy-fix yards long, and feven and a half broad. On one
fide was a large old boar ; and on the other fide a heap of
cocoa-nuts. A number of people were feated round the
cloth ; and, amongft them, I obferved Mareewagee, and
others of the firfi: rank. I was defired to fit down by the
prince ; and then Omai informed me, that he had been in-
Ifrudfed by the king to tell me, that, as he and I were friends,
he hoped that his fon might be joined in this friendfiiip;
and that, as a token of my confent, I would accept of his
prefent. I very readily agreed to the propofal ; and, it being
now dinner-time, 1 invited them all on board.
Accordingly, the young prince, Mareewagee, old Toobou,
three or four inferior Chiefs, and two refpedlable old ladies
of the firfi rank, accompanied me. Mareewagee was dreffed
in a new piece of cloth, on the fkirts of which were fixed
fix pretty large patches of red feathers. This drefs feemed
to have been made, on purpofe, for this vifit ; for, as foon
as he got on board, he put it off, and prefented it to me ;
having, I guefs, heard that it would be acceptable, on ac-
count of the feathers. Every one of my vifiters received
from me fuch prefents, as, I had reafon to believe, they were
highly fatisfied with. When dinner came upon table, not
one of them would fit down, or eat a bit of any thing that
was ferved up. On expreffing my furprize at this, they
were all taboo^, as they faid ; which word has a very com-
prehenfive meaning ; but, in general, fignifies that a thing
is forbidden. Why they were laid under fuch reflraints, at
prefent, was not explained. Dinner being over, and, having
gratified their curiofity, by fliewing to them every part of
the fliip, I then condudled them afiiore.
As
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
2,87
As foon as the boat reached the beach, Feenou, and 1777.
fome others, inftantly ftepped out. Young Fattafaihe fol- .
lowing them, was called back by Mareewagee, who now
paid the heir apparent the fame obeifance, and in the
fame manner, that I had feen it paid to the king. And
when old Toobou, and one of the old ladies, had fliewn
him the fame marks of refpe6t, he was fuffered to land.
This ceremony being over, the old people ftepped from my
boat, into a canoe, that was waiting to carry them to their
place of abode.
I was not forry to be prefent on this occahon, as I was
thus furnilhed with the moil unequivocal proofs of the fu-
preme dignity of Poulaho and his fon, over the other prin-
cipal Chiefs. Indeed, by this time, I had acquired fome
certain information about the relative fituations of the fe-
ver al great men, whofe names have been fo often men-
tioned. I now knew, that Mareewagee and old Toobou
were brothers. Both of them were men of great property
in the illand, and feemed to be in high eftimation with the
people ; the former, in particular, had the very honourable
appellation given to him, by every body, of Motooa ’Tonga ;
that is to fay. Father of Tonga, or of his Country. The
nature of his relationfliip to the king was alfo no longer a
fecret to us ; for we now underftood, that he was his father-
in-law ; Poulaho having married one of his daughters, by
whom he had this fon ; fo that Mareewagee was the prince’s
grandfather. Poulaho’s appearance having fatisfied us, that
we had been under a miftake, in conlidering Feenou as the
fovereign of thefe illands, we had been, at firft, much puz-
zled about his real rank ; but that was, by this time, afcer-
tained. Feenou was. one of Mareewagee’s fons; and Too-
boueitoa was another.
On
285
A VOYAGE TO
1777- On my landing, I found the king, in the houfe adjoining
1 — _i to our tent, along with our j^eople who redded on lliore.
The moment I got to him, he bellowed upon me a prefent
of a large hog, and a quantity of yams. About the dulk
of the evening, a number of men came, and, having fat
down in a round group, began to ling in concert with
the mulic of bamboo drums, which were placed in the
centre -b There were three long ones, and two lliort. With
thefe they llruck the ground endwife, as before defcribed.
There were two others, which lay on the ground, lide by
dde, and one of them was fplit or lliivered ; on thefe a man
kept beating with two fmall dicks. They fung three fongs
while I dayed ; and, I was told, that, after I left them, the
entertainment laded till ten o’clock. They burnt the leaves
of the wharra palm for a light ; which is the only thing I
ever faw them make ufe of for this purpofe.
While I was palling the day in attendance on thefe great
men, Mr. Anderfon, with fome others, made an excurlion
into the country, which furnidied him with the following
remarks: ‘‘ To the Wedward of the tent, the country is
totally uncultivated for near two miles, though quite co-
vered with trees and budies, in a natural date, growing
with the greated vigour. Beyond this is a pretty large
plain, on which are fome cocoa-trees, and a few fmall
plantations that appear to have been lately made ; and,
feemingly, on ground that has never been cultivated before.
Near the creek, which runs to the Wedward of the tent,
* The fame fort of evening concert is performed round the houfe of the Chief, or Ta-
male^ at the Caroline Iflands. “ Le Tamole ne s’endort qu’au bruit d’un concert de
“ mufique que forme une troupe de jeunes gens, qui s’aflemblent le foir, aiitour de la
“ maifon, et qui chantent, a leur maniere, certaines poefies.” Lettres Edifiantes et Cu^
rieufesj Tom. xv. p. 314.
the
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
289
the land is quite flat, and partly overflowed by the fea every 1777.
tide. When that retires, the furface is feen to be compofed ■ ^*|*^^*
of coral rock, with holes of yellowifli mud fcattered up and
down ; and toward the edges, where it is a little firmer, are
innumerable little openings, from which ilTue as many
fmall crabs, of two or three different forts, which fwarm
upon the fpot, as flies upon a carcafe ; but are fo nimble,
that, on being approached, they difappear in an inftant, and
baffle even the natives to catch any of them.
At this place is a work of art, which fliews, that thefe
people are capable of fome defign, and perfeverance, when
they mean to accomplifli any thing. This work begins,
on one fide, as a narrow caufeway, which, becoming gra-
dually broader, rifes, with a gentle afcent, to the height of
ten feet, where it is five paces broad, and the whole length
feventy-four paces. Joined to this is a fort of circus,
whofe diameter is thirty paces, and not above a foot or two
higher than the caufeway that joins it, with fome trees
planted in the middle. On the oppofite fide, another caufe-
w'ay of the fame fort defcends; but this is not above forty
paces long, and is partly in ruin. The whole is built with
large coral ftones, with earth on the furface, which is quite
overgrown with low trees and flirubs ; and, from its de-
caying in feveral places, feems to be of no modern date.
Whatever may have been its ufe formerly, it feems to be
of none now ; and all that we could learn of it from the
natives was, that it belonged to Poulaho, and is called
EtcheeH''
On the 1 6th, in the morning, after vifiting the feveral Monday
works now carrying on afliore, Mr. Gore, and I, took a walk
into the country ; in the courfe of which nothing remark-
able appeared, but our having opportunities of feeing the
VoL. 1. P p whole
290
A VOYAGE TO
1777*
June.
whole procefs of making cloth, which is the principal ma-
j nufadture of thefe illands, as well as of many others in this
Ocean. In the narrative of my firft Voyage a minute
defcription is given of this operation, as performed at
Otaheite ; but the procefs, here, differing in fome parti-
culars, it may be worth while to give the following account
of it :
The manufadturers, who are females, take the llender
flalks or trunks of the paper-mulberry, which they culti-
vate for that purpofe ; and which feldom grows more than
fix or feven feet in height, and about four fingers in thick-
nefs. From thefe they flrip the bark, and fcrape off the
outer rind with a mufcle-fliell. The bark is then rolled
up to take off the convexity which it had round the flalk,
and macerated in water for fome time (they fay, a night)
After this, it is laid acrofs the trunk of a fmall tree fquared,
and beaten with a fquare wooden inftrument, about a foot
long, full of coarfe grooves on all fides ; but, fometimes,
with one that is plain. According to the fize of the bark,
a piece is foon produced ; but the operation is often re-
peated by another hand, or it is folded feveral times, and
beat longer, which feems rather intended to clofe than to
divide its texture. When this is fufiiciently effected, it is
fpread out to dry ; the pieces being from four to fix, or
more, feet in length, and half as broad. They are then
given to another perfon, who joins the pieces, by fmear-
ing part of them over with the vifcous juice of a berry,
called toooy which ferves as a glue. Having been thus
lengthened, they are laid over a large piece of wood, with
a kind of ffamp, made of a fibrous fubftance pretty clofely
interwoven, placed beneath. They then take a bit of cloth,
* Hawkefworth’s Colleftion of Voyages, Vol. ii. p. 210,
and
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
291
and dip it in a juice, exprefled from the bark of a tree,
called kokka, which they rub brifkly upon the piece that is
making. This, at once, leaves a dull brown colour, and a
dry glofs upon its furface ; the ft amp, at the fame time,
making a flight impreflion, that anfwers no other pur-
pofe that I could fee, but to make the feveral pieces, that
are glued together, ftick a httle more firmly. In this man-
ner they proceed, joining and ftaining by degrees, till they
produce a piece of cloth, of fuch length and breadth as
they want ; generally leaving a border, of a foot broad, at
the fides, and longer at the ends, unftained. Through-
out the whole, if any parts of the original pieces are too
thin, or have holes, which is often the cafe, they glue fpare
bits upon them, till they become of an equal thicknefs.
When they want to. produce a black colour, they mix the
foot procured from an oily nut, called dooedooe, with the
juice of the kokka^ in different quantities, according to the
propofed depth of the tinge. They fay, that the black fort
of cloth, which is commonly moft glazed, makes a cold
drefs, but the other a warm one ; and, to obtain ftrength
in both, they are always careful to join the fmall pieces
lengthwife, which makes it impoflible to tear the cloth in
any diredfion but one.
On our return from the country, we met with Feenou,
and took him, and another young Chief, on board to din-
ner. When our fare was fet upon the table, neither of
them would eat a bit ; faying, that they were taboo avy.
But, after inquiring how the victuals had been dreffed,
having found that no avy (water) had been ufed in cooking
a pig and fome yams, they both fat down, and made a
very hearty meal ; and, on being aflured that there was no
water in the wine, they drank of it alfo. From this we
P p a conjedluredj
292
A VOYAGE TO
1777* conje6tured, that, on feme account or another, they were,
. at this time, forbidden to ufe water ; or, which was more
probable, they did not like the water we made ufe of, it be-
ing taken up out of one of their bathing-places. This was
not the only time of our meeting with people that were
taboo avy ; but, for what reafon, we never could tell with
any degree of certainty.
Tuefdayi;. Next day, the 17th, was fixed upon by Mareewagee, for
giving a grand Haiva, or entertainment ; to which we were
all invited. For this purpofe a large fpace had been cleared,
before the temporary hut of this Chief, near our poll:, as
an area where the performances were to be exhibited. In
the morning, great multitudes of the natives came in from
the country, every one carrying a pole, about fix feet long,
upon his fhoulder ; and at each end of every pole, a yam
was fufpended. Thefe yams and poles were depofited on
each fide of the area, fo as to form two large heaps, deco-
rated with different forts of fmall filh, and piled up to the
greatelf advantage. They were Mareewagee’s prefent to
Captain Clerke and me ; and it was hard to fay, whether the
wood for fuel, or the yams for food, were of moll: value to
us. As for the filh, they might ferve to pleafe the fight,
but were very offenfive to the fmell ; part of them having
been kept two or three days, to be prefented to us on this
occafion.
Every thing being thus prepared, about eleven o’clock
they began to exhibit various dances, which they call mat.
The mufic confilled, at firft, of feventy men as a chorus,
who fat down ; and amidft them were placed three infiru-
ments, which we called drums, though very unlike them.
* Mr. Anderfon’s defeription of the entertainments of this day being much fuller than
Captain Cook’s, it has been adopted as on a former occafion.
They
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
^93
They are large cylindrical pieces of wood, or trunks of 1777.
trees, from three to four feet long, fome twice as thick as
an ordinary lized man, and fome fmaller, hollowed entirely
out, but clofe at both ends, and open only by a chink, about
three inches broad, running almolf the whole length of the
drums ; by which opening, the reft of the wood is certainly
hollowed, though the operation muft be difficult. This in-
ftrument is called naffa ; and, with the chink turned toward
them, they fit and beat ftrongly upon it, with two cylin-
drical pieces of hard wood, about a foot long, and as thick
as the wrift ; by which means they produce a rude, though
loud and powerful found. They vary the ftrength and
rate of their beating, at different parts of the dance ; and
alfo change the tones, by beating in the middle, or near the
end, of their drum.
The firft dance conftfted of four ranks, of twenty-four
men each, holding in their hands a little, thin, light,
wooden inftrument, above two feet long, and, in ffiape,
not unlike a fmall oblong paddle. With thefe, which are
called pagge, they made a great many different motions ;
fuch as pointing them toward the ground on one fide, at
the fame time inclining their bodies that Avay, from which
they were fhifted to the oppofite fide in the fame manner ;
then palling them quickly from one hand to the other, and
twirling them about very dextroufly ; with a variety of
other manoeuvres, all which were accompanied by corre-
fponding attitudes of the body. Their motions were, at firft,
flow, but quickened as the drums beat fafter ; and they re-
cited fentences, in a mufical tone, the whole time, which
were anfwered by the chorus ; but at the end of a fhort
fpace they all joined, and finiflied with a fliout.
After cealing about two or three minutes, they began as
before,
-94
A VOYAGE TO
iV;;. b.efore, and continued, with fliort intervals, above a quarter
. of an hour ; when the rear rank dividing, fliifted themfelves
very llowly round each end, and, meeting in the front,
formed the firft rank ; the whole number continuing to
recite the fentences as before. The other ranks did the
fame fucceffively, till that which, at firft, was the front,
became the rear ; and the evolution continued, in the fame
manner, till the laft rank regained its firft fituation. They
then began a much quicker dance (though flow at firft),
and fung for about ten minutes, when the whole body di-
vided into two parts, retreated a little, and then approach-
ed, forming a fort of circular figure, which finiflied the
dance ; the drums being removed, and the chorus going
off the field at the fame time.
The fecond dance had only two drums, with forty men
for a chorus ; and the dancers, or rather adfors, confifted of
two ranks, the foremoft having feventeen, and the other fif-
teen perfons. Feenou was at their head, or in the middle
of the front rank, which is the principal place in thefe cafes.
They danced and recited fentences, with fome very fhort in-
tervals, for about half an hour, fometimes quickly, fome-
times more llowly, but with fuch a degree of exacftnefs, as
if all the motions were made by one man, which did them
great credit. Near the clofe, the back rank divided, came
round, and took the place of the front, which again re-
fumed its fituation, as in the firft dance ; and when they
finiflied, the drums and chorus, as before, went off.
‘ Three drums (which, at leaft, took two, and fometimes
three men to carry them) were now brought in ; and fe-
venty men fat down as a chorus to the third dance. This
confifted of two ranks, of fixteen perfons each, with young
Toobou at their head, who was richly ornamented with a
fort
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
295
fort of garment covered with red feathers. Thefe danced,
fling, and twirled the pagge^ as before ; but, in general, .
much quicker, and performed fo well, that they had the
conftant applaufes of the fpecftators. A motion that met
Avith particular approbation, was one in which they held
the face alide, as if afhamed, and the pcigge before it. The
back rank clofed before the front one, and that again re-
fumed its place, as in the two former dances ; but then they
began again, formed a triple row, divided, retreated to each
end of the area, and left the greateft part of the ground
clear. At that inftant, two men entered very haftily, and ex-
ercifed the clubs which they ufe in battle. They did this,
by firft twirling them in their hands, and making circular
ftrokes before them with great force and quicknefs ; but fo
fkilfuUy managed, that, though handing quite clofe, they
never interfered. They fliifted their clubs from hand to
hand, with great dexterity ; and, after continuing a little
time, kneeled, and made different motions, tolling the
clubs up in the air, Avhich they caught as they fell ; and
then went off as haftily as they entered. Their heads were
covered with pieces of white cloth, tied at the croAvn (al-
moft like a night-cap) with a wreath of foliage round the
forehead ; but they had only very fmall pieces of white
cloth tied about their waifts ; probably, that they might be
cool, and free from every encumbrance or weight. A per-
fon with a fpear, dreffed like the former, then came in, and
in the fame hafty manner ; looking about eagerly, as if in
fearch of fomebody to throw it at. He then ran haftily to
one ftde of the crowd in the front, and put himfelf in a
threatening attitude, as if he meant to ftrike with his fpear
at one of them, bending the knee a little, and trembling,
as it were with rage. He continued in this manner only a
feiv
1777-
June.
296
A VOYAGE TO
1777. few feconds, when he moved to the other fide, and having
. flood in the fame pofture there, for the fame fliort time,
retreated from the ground, as faft as when he made his ap-
pearance. The dancers, who had divided into two parties,
kept repeating fomething flowly all this while ; and now
advanced, and joined again, ending with univerfal applaiife.
It fliould feem that this dance was conlidered as one of their
capital performances, if we might judge from fornie of the
principal people being engaged in it. For one of the drums
was beat by Futtafaihe, the brother of Poulaho, another by
Feenou, and the third, which did not belong to the chorus,
by Mareewagee himfelf, at the entrance of his hut.
The lafh dance had forty men, and two drums, as a
chorus. It confifted of fixty men, who had not danced
before, difpofed in three rows, having twenty-four in front.
But, before they began, we were entertained with a pretty
long preliminary harangue, in which the whole body made
refponfes to a fingle perfon who fpoke. They recited fen-
tences (perhaps verfes) alternately with the chorus, and
made many motions with the pagge, in a very brifk mode,
which were all applauded with mareeai! and fyfogge / words
exprefling two different degrees of praife. They divided
into two bodies, with their backs to each other; formed
again, fliifted their ranks, as in the other dances ; divided
and retreated, making room for two champions, who ex-
ercifed their clubs as before ; and after them two others :
the dancers, all the time, reciting llowly in turn with the
chorus ; after which they advanced, and finiflied.
Thefe dances, if they can j^roperly be called fo, lafted
from eleven till near three o’clock ; and though they were,
doubtlefs, intended, particularly, either in honour of us,
or to fliew a fpecimen of their dexterity, vaft numbers of
their
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
297
their own people attended as fpe(5lators. Their numbers 1777.
could not be computed exacftly, on account of the inequality .
of the ground ; but, by reckoning the inner circle, and the
number in depth, which was between twenty and thirty in
many places, we fuppofed that there muft be near four
thoufand. At the fame time, there were round the trading
place at the tent, and Ifraggling about, at lead; as many
more ; and fome of us computed, that, at this time, there
were not lefs than ten or twelve thoufand people in our
neighbourhood ; that is, within the compafs of a quarter
of a mile ; drawn together, for the mod; part, by mere
curiofity.
It is with regret I mention, that we could not underhand
what was fpoken, while we were able to fee what was a6led,
in thefe amufements. This, doubtlefs, would have afforded
us much information, as to the genius and cuftoms of thefe
people. It was obfervable, that, though the fpe6tators al-
ways approved of the various motions, when well made, a
great fliare of the pleafure they received feemed to arife
from the fentimental part, or what the performers delivered
in their fpeeches. However, the mere a6ling part, inde-
pendently of the fentences repeated, was well worth our no-
tice, both with refpedl to the extendve plan on which it was
executed, and to the various motions, as well as the exadt
unity, with which they were performed. The drawings
which Mr. Webber made of the performances at Hapaee,
and which are equally applicable to thofe exhibited now,
will ferve much to illuftrate the account here given of the
order in which the a6lors range themfelves. But neither
pencil nor pen can defcribe the numerous adlions and mo-
tions, the dngularity of which was not greater, than was the
eafe and gracefulncfs with which they were performed.
VoL. I. Q q
At
At night, we were entertained with the bomai^ or night
dances, on a fpace before Feenou’s temporary habitation.
They laft ed about three hours ; in which time we had about
twelve of them performed, much after the fame manner as
thofe at Hapaee. But, in two, that were performed by wo-
men, a number of men came and formed a circle within •
their’s. And, in another, conlilfing of twenty-four men,
there were a number of motions with the hands, that we
had not feen before, and were highly applauded. The
mulic was, alfo, once changed, in the courfe of the night ;
and in one of the dances, Feenou appeared at the head of
fifty men who had performed at Hapaee, and he was well
drelTed with linen, a large piece of gauze, and fome little
pi6lures hung round his neck. But it was evident, after
the diverfions were clofed, that we had put thefe poor
people, or rather that they had put themfelves, to much
inconvenience. For being drawn together on this unin-
habited part of their illand, numbers of them were obliged
to lie down and fleep under the buflies, by the fide of a
tree, or of a canoe ; nay many either lay down in the
open air, which they are not fond of, or walked about all
the night.
The whole of this entertainment was conducfled with far
better order, than could have been expelled in fo large an
alTembly. Among ft fuch a multitude, there muft be a
number of ill-difpofed people ; and we, hourly, experienced
it. All our care and attention did not prevent their plun-
dering us, in every quarter ; and that, in the moft daring
and infolent manner. There was hardly any thing that they
did not attempt to fteal ; and yet, as the crowd was always
fo great, I would not allow the fentries to fire, left the inno-
cent fliould fuffer for the guilty. They once, at noon day,
ventured
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
299
ventured to aim at taking an anchor from off the Difco-
very’s bows ; and they would certainly have fucceeded, if
the flook had not hooked one of the chain plates in lower-
ing down the fhip’s fide, from which they could not difen-
gage it by hand ; and tackles were things they were unac-
quainted with. The only a6t of violence they were guilty
of, was the breaking the flioulder bone of one of our
goats, fo that fhe died foon after. This lofs fell upon them-
felves, as fhe was one of thofe that I intended to leave
upon the ifland; but of this, the perfon who did it, was
ignorant.
Early in the morning of the i8th, an incident happened,
that ftrongly marked one of their cufloms. A man got out
of a canoe into the quarter gallery of the Refolution, and
flole from thence a pewter bafon. He was difcovered, pur-
fued, and brought along-fide the fliip. On this occafion,
three old women, ^yho were in the canoe, made loud la-
mentations over the prifoner, beating their breafts and faces
in a moft violent manner, with the infide of their fills ; and
all this was done without fhedding a tear. This mode of
exprefling grief is what occafions the mark which almofl
all this people bear on the face, over the cheek bones. The
repeated blows which they infli6l upon this part, abrade the
fkin, and make even the blood flow out in a confiderable
quantity ; and when the wounds are recent, they look as if
a hollow circle had been burnt in. On many occafions,
they adlually cut this part of the face with an inflrument ;
in the fame manner as the people of Otaheite cut their
heads.
This day, I bellowed on Mareewagee fome prefents, in
return for thofe we had received from him the day before ;
and as the entertainments which he had then exhibited for
Qq 2
>777-
June.
' f
Wednef. 18.
our
300
A VOYAGE TO
our amufement, called upon us to make fome exhibition in
our way, I ordered the party of marines to go through their
exercife on the fpot where his dances had been performed ;
and, in the evening, played off fome fireworks at the fame
place. Poulaho, with all the principal Chiefs, and a great
number of people, of all denominations, were prefent. The
platoon firing, which was executed tolerably well, feemed
to give them pleafure ; but they were lofl in aflonifhment
when they beheld our water rockets. They paid but little
attention to the fife and drum, or French horns that played
during the intervals. The king fat behind every body,
becaufe no one is allowed to fit behind him; and, that
his view might not be obfi:ru61;ed, nobody fat immedi-
ately before him ; but a lane, as it were, was made by the
people from him, quite down to the fpace allotted for the
fireworks.
In expe<5tation of this evening fhew, the circle of natives
about our tent being pretty large, they engaged, the greatefl:
part of the afternoon, in boxing and wreflling ; the firfi; of
which exercifes they call fangatooay and the fecond foohoo.
When any of them choofes to wreftle, he gets up from one
fide of the ring, and crofies the ground in a fort of mea-
fured pace, clapping fmartly on the elbow joint of one arm,
which is bent, and produces a hollow found ; that is rec-
koned the challenge. If no perfon comes out from the op-
pofite fide to engage him, he returns, in the fame manner,
and fits down ; but. fometimes Hands clapping in the midfi:
of the ground, to provoke fome one to come out. If an
opponent appear, they come together with marks of the
greateft good-nature, generally fmiling, and taking time to
adjuft the piece of cloth which is faftened round the waift.
They then lay hold of each other by this girdle, with a
hand
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
30X
hand on each fide; and he who fucceeds in drawing his 1777.
antagonifi: to him, immediately tries to lift him upon his . »
bread:, and throw him upon his back ; and if he be able to
turn round with him two or three times, in that pofition,
before he throws him, his dexterity never fails of procuring
plaudits from the fpedlators. If they be more equally
matched, they clofe foon, and endeavour to throw each
other by entwining their legs, or lifting each other from
the ground ; in which fiiruggles they fliew a prodigious ex-
ertion of ftrength, every mufcle, as it were, being ready to
burfi: with draining. When one is thrown, he immediately
quits the field, but the vi6lor fits down for a few feconds,
then gets up, and goes to the fide he came from, who pro-
claim the victory aloud, in a fentence delivered flowly, and
in a mufical cadence. After fitting a Ihort fpace, he rifes
again and challenges ; when fometimes feveral antagonids
make their appearance ; but he has the privilege of choo-
fing which of them he pleafes to wredle with ; and has,
likewife, the preference of challenging again, if he diould
throw his adverfary, until he himfelf be vanquifhed ; and-
then the oppofite fide fing the fong of victory in favour of
their champion. It alfo often happens, that five or fix rife
from each fide, and challenge together ; in which cafe, it is
common to fee three or four couple engaged on the field at
once. But it is adonidiing to fee what temper they preferve
in this exercife ; for we obferved no indances of their leav-
ing the fpot, with the lead difpleafure in their counte-
nances. When they find, that they are fo equally matched
as not to be likely to throw each other, they leave off by
mutual confent. And if the fall of one is not fair, or if it
does not appear very clearly who has had the advantage,
both fides fing the victory, and then they engage again.
But
302
A VOYAGE TO
1777. But no perfon, who has been vanquifhed, can engage with
. his conqueror a fecond time.
The boxers advance hde-ways, changing the fide at every
pace, with one arm ftretched fully out before, the other be-'
hind ; and holding a piece of cord in one hand, which they
wrap firmly about it, when they find an antagonift, or elfe
have done fo before they enter. This, I imagine, they do,
to prevent a diflocation of the hand or fingers. Their blows
are diredted chiefly to the head ; but fometimes to the
fides ; and are dealt out with great adfivity. They fhift
fides, and box equally well with both hands. But one of
their favourite and mofl dextrous blows, is, to turn round
on their heel, juft as they have ftruck their antagonift, and
to give him another very fmart one with the other hand
backward.
The boxing matches feldom laft long ; and the parties
either leave off together, or one acknowledges his being
beat. But they never ling the fong of vidlory in thefe
cafes, unlefs one ftrikes his adverfary to the ground ; which
fliews, that, of the two, wreftling is their moft approved
diverfion. Not only boys engage, in both the exercifes,
but frequently little girls box very obftinately for a Ihort
time. In all which cafes, it doth not appear, that they ever
confider it as the fmalleft difgrace to be vanquifhed ; and
the perfon overcome fits down, with as much indifference,
as if he had never entered the lifts. Some of our people
ventured to contend with them in both exercifes, but were
always worfted ; except in a few inftances, where it appear-
ed, that the fear they were in of offending us, contributed
more to the victory, than the fuperiority of the perfon they
engaged.
The cattle, which we had brought, and which were all
on
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
on fhore, however carefully guarded, I was fenfible, run no
fmall rifk, when I confidered the thievifli difpolition of
many of the natives, and their dexterity in appropriating to
themfelves by health, what they faw no profpech of obtain-
ing by fair means. For this reafon I thought it prudent to
declare my intention of leaving behind me fome of our
animals ; and even to make a dihribution of them previ-
ouily to my departure.
With this view, in the evening of the 19th, I aflembled
all the Chiefs before our houfe, and my intended prefents
to them were marked out. To Poulaho, the king, I gave a
young Englilh bull and cow; to Mareewagee, a Cape ram,
and two ewes ; and to Feenou, a horfe and a mare. As my
defign, to make fuch a diftribution, had been made known
the day before, moft of the people in the neighbourhood
were then prefent. I inftrudled Omai to tell them, that there
were no fuch animals within many months fail of their
ill and ; that we had brought them, for their ufe, from that
immenfe diftance, at a vaft trouble and expence ; that>
therefore, they muft be careful not to kill any of them,
till they had multiplied to a numerous race ; and, laftly,
that they and their children ought to remember, that they
had received them from the men of Britane. He alfo ex-
plained to them their feveral ufes, and what elfe was ne-
ceflary for them to know, or rather as far as he knew ;
for Omai was not very well verfed in fuch things himfelf.
As I intended that the above prefents fhould remain with
the other cattle, till we were ready to fail, I defired each of
the Chiefs to fend a man or two to look after their refpedlive
animals, along with my people, in order that they might
be better acquainted with them, and with the manner
of treating them. The king and Feenou did fo; but nei-
ther
303
1777-
Tune.
t - — »
Thurfday 19.
304
A VOYAGE TO
1777. tlier Mareewagee, nor any other perfon for him, took the
. leaft notice of the flieep afterward ; nor did old Toobon
attend at this meeting, though he was invited, and was in
the neighbourhood. I had meant to give him the goats,
viz. a ram and two ewes ; which, as he was fo indifferent
about them, I added to the king’s fliare.
Friday 20. It foon appeared, that fome were diflatisfied with this
allotment of our animals ; for, early next morning, one of
our kids, and two turkey-cocks, were miffing. I could not
be fo fimple as to fuppofe, that this was merely an acci-
dental lofs ; and I was determined to have them again.
The firft ftep I took was to feize on three canoes that hap-
pened to be along-fide the ffiips. I then went affiore, and,
having found the king, his brother, Feenou, and fome
other Chiefs, in the houfe that we occupied, I immediately
put a guard over them, and gave them to underhand, that
they muft remain under reftraint, till not only the kid and
the turkeys, but the other things that had been flolen from
us, at different times, were reftored. They concealed, as well
as they could, their feelings, on finding themfelves prifoners ;
and, having affured me, that every thing fliould be reftored,
as I defired, fat down to drink their kava., feemingly much at
their eafe. It was not long before an axe, and an iron w'edge,
were brought to me. In the mean time, fome armed natives
began to gather behind the houfe ; but, on a part of our guard
marching againft them, they difperfed ; and I advifed the
Chiefs to give orders, that no more fliould appear. Such or-
ders were accordingly given by them, and they were obey-
ed. On afking them to go aboard with me to dinner, they
readily confented. But fome having afterward objected to
the king’s going, he inftantly rofe up, and declared he
would be the firft man. Accordingly w'e came on board,
I kept
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
305
1 kept them there till near four o’clock, when I condudled
them adiore ; and, foon after, the kid, and one of the
turkey-cocks, were brought back. The other, they faid,
fliould be reftored the next morning. I believed this would
happen, and releafed both them and the canoes.
After the Chiefs had left us, I walked out with Omai,
to obferve how the people about us fared ; for this was the
time of their meals. I found that, in general, they were
at fliort commons. Nor is this to be wondered at, fince
moft of the yams, and other provifions which they brought
with them, were fold to us ; and they never thought of re-
turning to their own habitations, while they could find
any fort of fubliftence in our neighbourhood. Our flation
was upon an uncultivated point of land ; fo that there
were none of the illanders, who, properly, refided within
half a mile of us. But, even at this diftance, the multitude
of flrangers being fo great, one might have expedfed, that
every houfe would have been much crowded.- It was quite
otherwife. The families refiding there wxre as much left
to themfelves, as if there had not been a fupernumerary
vifiter near them. All the flrangers lived in little tempo-
rary flieds, or under trees and bullies ; and the cocoa-trees
were flripped of their branches, to eredl habitations for the
Chiefs.
In this walk we met with about half a dozen women, in
one place, at fupper. Two of the company, I obferved,
being fed by the others, on our afking the reafon, they
faid taboo mattee. On farther inquiry we found, that one
of them had, two months before, wafhed the dead corpfe
of a Chief ; and that, on this account, flie was not to
handle any food for five months. The other had performed
the fame office to the corpfe of another perfon of inferior
VoL. I. R r rank.
1777-
June.
\ — ;
3o6
A VOYAGE TO
1777* rank, and was now under the fame reftri6lion ; but not for
. . fo long a time. At another place, hard by, we faw another
woman fed ; and we learnt, that fhe had affifted in wafhing
the corpfe of the above-mentioned Chief.
Saturday zi. Early the next morning, the king came on board, to in-
vite me to an entertainment, which he propofed to give the
fame day. He had already been under the barber’s hands ;
his head being all befmeared with red pigment, in order
to redden his hair, which was naturally of a dark brown
colour. After breakfaft, I attended him to the Ihore ; and
we found his people very bufy, in two places, in the front
of our area, fixing, in an upright and fquare pofition,
thus [ o o ]? four very long polls, near two feet from each
other. The fpace between the polls was afterward filled
up with yams ; and as they went on filling it, they fallen-
ed pieces of Hicks acrofs, from poll to poll, at the dillance of
about every four feet ; to prevent the polls from feparating,
by the weight of the inclofed yams, and alfo to get up by.
When the yams had reached the top of the firll polls, they
faftened others to them, and fo continued till each pile was
the height of thirty feet, or upward. On the top of one,
they placed two baked hogs ; and on the top of the other,
a living one ; and another they tied by the legs, half-way
up. It was matter of curiofity to obferve, with what facility
and difpatch thefe two piles were raifed. Had our feamen
been ordered to execute fuch a work, they would have
fworn that it could not be performed without carpenters ;
and the carpenters would have called to their aid a dozen
different forts of tools, and have expended, at leall, a hun-
dred weight of nails ; and, after all, it would have employ-
ed them as many days, as it did thefe people hours. But
feamen, like moll other amphibious animals, are always
the
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
307
the moft helplefs on land. After they had completed thefe 177
two piles, they made feveral other heaps of yams and bread- .
fmit on each fide of the area ; to which were added a turtle,
and a large quantity of excellent fifli. All this, with a piece
of cloth, a mat, and fome red feathers, was the king’s pre-
fent to me ; and he feemed to pique himfelf on exceeding,
as he really did, Feenou’s liberality, which I experienced
at Hapaee.
About one o’clock they began the mai^ or dances ; the firft
of which was almoft a copy of the firfl that was exhibited at
Mareewagee’s entertainment. The fecond was conducSIed
by Captain Furneaux’s Toobou, who, as we mentioned, had
alfo danced there ; and in this, four or five women were in-
troduced, who went through the feveral parts with as much
exadlnefs as the men. Toward the end, the performers di-
vided to leave room for two champions, who exercifed their
clubs, as defcribed on a former occafion. And, in the third
dance, which was the lafl now prefented, two more men,
with their clubs, difplayed their dexterity. The dances
were fucceeded by wreftling and boxing ; and one man en-
tered the lifts with a fort of club, made from the ftem of a
cocoa-leaf, which is firm and heavy ; but could find no an-
tagonift to engage him at fo rough a fport. At night we
had the bomai repeated ; in which Poulaho himfelf danced,
drelTed in Englifh manufacfture. But neither thefe, nor the
dances in the day-time, were fo confiderable, nor carried
on with fo much fpirit, as Feenou’s, or Mareewagee’s ; and,
therefore, there is lefs occafion to be more particular in our
defcription of them.
In order to be prefent the whole time, I dined afhore.
The king fat down with us ; but he neither eat nor drank.
I found that this was owing to the prefence of a female,
R r 2 whom,
3o8
A VOYAGE TO
whom, at his delire, I had admitted to the dining party ;
j and who, as we afterward underftood, had fnperior rank to
himfelf. As foon as this great perfonage had dined, flie
ftepped up to the king, who put his hands to her feet ; and
then fhe retired. He immediately dipped his fingers into a
glafs of wine, and then received the obeifance of all her
followers. This was the fingle inftance we ever obferved
of his paying this mark of reverence to any perfon. At
the king’s defire, 1 ordered fome fireworks to be played off
in the evening ; but, unfortunately, being damaged, this
exhibition did not anfwer expectation.
CHAP.
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
309
CHAP. VIII.
Some of the Officers plundered by the Natives. — ^
Party. — A Vifit to Poulaho. — A Fiatooka defcribed. — Ob-
Jervations on the Country entertainment at Poulaho's
Houfe. — His Mourning Ceremony. — 0/ the Kava Plant-)
and the Manner of preparing the Liquor. — Account of
Onevy, a little JJland. — -One of the Natives wounded by
a Sentinel. — Meffirs. King and Anderfon vifit the King's
Brother. — 'Pheir entertainment. — Another Mourning Ce-
remony.— Manner of paffitng the Night. — Remarks on the
Country they paffied through. — Preparations made for fail-
ing. — An Pclipfe of the Sun, imperfeBly obferved. — Mr.
Anderfon's Account of the If and) and its ProduBions.
AS no more entertainments were to be expected, on 1777-
either fide, and the curiofity of the populace was, ■ ,
by this time, pretty well fatisfied ; on the day after Poula- Sunday 22.
ho’s haiva, moft of them left us. We fiill, however, had
thieves about us; and, encouraged by the negligence of
our own people, we had continual inftances of their depre-
dations.
Some of the officers, belonging to both ffiips, who had
made an excurfion into the interior parts of the ifland,
without my leave, and, indeed, without my knowledge,
returned this evening, after an abfence of two days. They
had taken with them their mufquets, with the neceffary
ammunition, and feveral fmall articles of the favourite
commodities ;
310
A VOYAGE TO
1777- commodities ; all which the natives had the dexterity to
heal from them, in the courfe of their expedition. This
affair was likely to be attended with inconvenient confe-
' quences. For, oiir plundered travellers, upon their return,
without confulting; me, employed Omai to complain to
the king of the treatment they had met with. He, not
knowing what hep I hiould take, and, from what had
already happened, fearing left 1 might lay him again
Monday 23. under reftraint, went off early the next morning. His
example was followed by Feenou; fo that we had not a
Chief, of any authority, remaining in our neighbourhood.
1 was very much difpleafed at this, and reprimanded Omai
for having prefumed to meddle. This reprimand put him
upon his mettle to bring his friend F eenou back ; and he
fucceeded in the negociation ; having this powerful argu-
ment to urge, that he might depend upon my ufing no
violent meafures to oblige the natives to reftore what had
been taken from the gentlemen. Feenou, trufting to this
declaration, returned toward the evening ; and, encouraged
by his reception, Poulaho favoured us with his company
the day after.
Tuefday24. Both thefe Chiefs, upon this occafton, ' very juftly ob-
ferved to me, that, if any of my people, at any time, wanted
to go into the country, they ought to be acquainted with
it ; in which cafe they would fend proper people along with
them ; and then they would be anfwerable for their fafety.
And 1 am convinced, from experience, that, by taking this
very reafonable precaution, a man and his property may be
as fafe among thefe iflanders, as in other parts of the more
civilized world. Though 1 gave myfelf no trouble about
the recovery of the things ftolen upon this occafton, moft
of them, through Feenou’s interpofttion, were recovered ;
except
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
311
except one mufquet, and a few other articles of inferior 1777.
value. By this time alfo, we had recovered the turkey- . .
cock, and moft of the tools, and other matters, that had
been ftolen from our workmen.
On the 25th, two boats, which I had fent to look for a Wednef. 25.
channel, by which we might, moft commodioully, get to
fea, returned. The Mafters, who commanded them, re-
ported, that the channel to the North, by which we came
in, was highly dangerous, being full of coral rocks from
one fide to the other ; but that, to the Eaftward, there was
a very good channel ; which, however, was very much
contracted, in one place, by the fmall iflands ; fo that a
leading wind would be requifite to get through it ; that is,
a Wefterly wind, which, we had found, did not often blow
here. We had now recruited the Ihips with wood and
water ; we had finifhed the repairs of our fails ; and had
little more to expeCt from the inhabitants, of the produce of
their illand. However, as an eclipfe of the fun was to
happen upon the 5th of the next month, I refolved to de-
fer failing till that time had elapfed, in order to have a
chance of obferving it.
Having, therefore, fome days of leifure before me, a
party of us, accompanied by Poulaho, fet out, early next
morning, in a boat, for Mooa, the village where he and the Thurfday 26.
other great men ufually re fide. As we rowed up the inlet,
we met with fourteen canoes fifliing in company ; in one of
which was Poulaho’s fon. In each canoe was a triangular
net, extended between two poles ; at the lower end of which
was a cod to receive and fecure the fifli. They had already
caught fome fine mullets ; and they put about a dozen into
our boat. I defired to fee their method of filhing ; which
they readily complied with. A flioal of fifli was fuppofed
to
312
A VOYAGE I'O
1777. to be upon one of the banks, which they inftantly inclofed
; . in a long net like a feine, or fet-net. This the fifiiers, one
getting into the water out of each boat, furrounded with
the triangular nets in their hands ; with which they fcooped
the fifli out of the feine, or caught them as they attempted
to leap over it. They fliewed us the whole procefs of this
operation (which feemed to be a fure one), by throwing
in fome of the fifli they had already caught ; for, at this
time, there happened to be none upon the bank that was
inclofed.
Leaving the prince and his fifliing party, wx proceeded
to the bottom of the bay, and landed where we had done
before, on our fruitlefs errand to fee Mareewagee. As foon
as we got on fliore, the king deli red Omai to tell me, that
I need be under no apprehenhons about the boat, or any
thing in her, for not a lingle article would be touched by
any one ; and we afterward found this to be the cafe. We
were immediately condudted to one of Poulaho’s houfes not
far off, and near the public one, or malaee^ in which we had
been, when we firft vilited Mooa. This, though pretty
large, feemed to be his private habitation, and was lituated
within a plantation. The king took his feat at one end of
the houfe, and the people, who came to vilit him, fat down,
as they arrived, in a femicircle at the other end. The firft
thing done, was to prepare a bowl of kava, and to order
fome yams to be baked for us. While thefe were getting
ready, fome of us, accompanied by a few of the king’s at-
tendants, and Omai as our interpreter, walked out to take a
view of fiatooka^ or burying-place, which we had obferved
to be almoft clofe by the houfe, and was much more exten-
five, and feemingly of more confequence, than any we had
feen at the other illands. We were told, that it belonged to
the
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
the king. It confifted of three pretty large houfes, fituated
upon a riling ground, or rather juft by the brink of it, with
a fmall one, at fome diftance, all ranged longitudinally. The
middle houfe of the three firft, was by much the largeft,
and placed in a fquare, twenty-four paces by twenty-eight,
raifed about three feet. The other houfes were placed on
little mounts, raifed artificially to the fame height. The
floors of thefe houfes, as alfo the tops of the mounts round
them, were covered with loofe, fine pebbles, and the whole
was inclofed by large flat ftones of hard coral rock, pro-
perly hewn, placed on their edges ; one of which ftones mea-
fured twelve feet in length, two in breadth, and above one
in thicknefs. One of the houfes, contrary to what we had
feen before, was open on one fide ; and within it were two
rude, wooden bulls of men ; one near the entrance, and the
other farther in. On inquiring of the natives, who had
followed us to the ground, but durft not enter here. What
thefe images were intended for ? they made us as fenfible
as we could wifli, that they were merely memorials of fome
Chiefs who had been buried there, and not the reprefenta-
tions of any deity. Such monuments, it fliould feem, are
feldom raifed ; for thefe had, probably, been erected fe-
veral ages ago. We were told, that the dead had been bu-
ried in each of thefe houfes ; but no marks of this ap-
peared. In one of them, was the carved head of an Ota-
heite canoe, which had been driven afliore on their coaft,
and depofited here. At the foot of the rifing ground, was
a large area, or grafs-plot, with different trees planted about
it; amongft which were feveral of thofe called etoa^ very
large. Thefe, as they refemble the cyprefs, had a fine ef-
* The burying-places of the Chiefs at the Caroline Iflands, are alfo inclofed in this
manner. See Lettres Edifianta ^ CurleufeSf Tom. xv. p. 309,
VoL. I. S f fea
314
A VOYAGE TO
1777. fedt in fuch a place. There was, alfo, a row of low palms
. near one of the houfes, and behind it a ditch, in which
lay a great number of old balkets. Mr. Webber’s draw-
ing of this fiatookay will fupply the defedts of my de-
fcription.
After dinner, or rather after we had refrefhed ourfelves
with fome provihons which we had brought with us from
our fhip, we made an excurlion into the country, taking a
pretty large circuit, attended by one of the king’s minifters.
Our train was not great, as he would not fuffer the rabble
to follow us. He alfo obliged all thofe whom we met upon
our progrefs, to lit down, till we had palTed ; which is a
mark of refpedl due only to their Sovereigns. We found
by far the greateft part of the country cultivated, and
planted with various forts of produdfions ; and moft of
thefe plantations were fenced round. Some fpots, where
plantations had been formerly, now produced nothing, ly-
ing fallow ; and there were places that had never been
touched, but lay in a Hate of nature ; and, yet, even thefe
were ufeful, in affording them timber, as they were gene-
rally covered with trees. We met with feveral large unin-
habited houfes, which, we were told, belonged to the king.
There were many public and well-beaten roads, and abun-
dance of foot-paths leading to every part of the illand.
The roads being good, and the country level, traveUing
was very eafy. It is remarkable, that when we were on
the moll elevated parts, at leall a hundred feet above the
level of the fea, we often met with the lame coral rock,
which is found at the lliore, projecting above the furface,
and perforated and cut into all thofe inequalities which are
ufually feen in rocks that lie within the walh of the tide.
And yet thefe very fpots, with hardly any foil upon them,
were
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
were covered with luxuriant vegetation. We were con-
ducSled to feveral little pools, and to fome fprings of wa-
ter ; but, in general, they were either {linking or brackilli,
though recommended to us by the natives as excellent.
The former were, moftly, inland, and the latter near the
fliore of the bay, and below high-water mark ; fo that
tolerable water could be taken up from them, only when
the tide was out.
When we returned from our walk, which was not till the
dufk of the evening, our fupper was ready. It conlifted
of a baked hog, fome fifli, and yams, all excellently well
cooked, after the method of thefe illands. As there was
nothing to amufe us after fupper, we followed the cuftom
of the country, and lay down to lleep, our beds being mats
fpread upon the floor, and cloth to cover us. The king,
who had made himfelf very happy with fome wine and
brandy which we had brought, flept in the fame houfe, as
well as feveral others of the natives. Long before day-
break, he and they all rofe, and fat converflng by moon-
light. The converfation, as might well be guelfed, turned
wholly upon us ; the king entertaining his company with
an account of what he had feen, or remarked. As foon as it
was day, they difperfed, fome one way, and fome another ;
but it was not long before they all returned, and, with
them, feveral more of their countrymen.
They now began to prepare a bowl of kava ; and, leaving
them fo employed, I went to pay a vilit to Toobou, Captain
Furneaux’s friend, who had a houfe hard by, which, for
flze and neatnefs, was exceeded by few in the place. As I
had left the others, fo I found here a company, preparing
a morning draught. This Chief made a prefent to me of a
Uving hog, a baked one, a quantity of yams, and a large
.S f 2 piece
315
*777-
Tune.
t— -t— -»
Friday 27.
3i6
A VOYAGE TO
1777. piece of cloth. When I returned to the king, I found
him, and his circle of attendants, drinking the fecond
bowl of kava. That being emptied, he told Omai, that
he was going prefently to perform a mourning ceremony,
called 'Tooge, on account of a fon who had been dead
fome time ; and he delired us to accompany him. We
w'ere glad of the opportunity, expelling to fee fomewhat
new or curious.
The firlf thing the Chief did, was to itep out of the houfe,
attended by two old women, and put on a new fuit of
clothes, or rather a new piece of cloth, and, over it, an old
ragged mat, that might have ferved his great grandfather,
on fome fuch occalion. His fervants, or thofe who attended
him, were all dreffed in the fame manner, excepting that
none of their mats could vie, in antiquity, with that of their
mafter. Thus equipped, we marched off, preceded by about
eight or ten perfons, all in the above habits of ceremony,
each of them, befides, having a fmall green bough about
his neck. Poulaho held his bough in his hand, till we drew
near the place of rendezvous, when he alfo put it about
« his neck. We now entered a fmall inclofure, in which was
a neat houfe, and we found one man fitting before it. As
the company entered, they pulled off the green branches
from round their necks, and threw them away. The king
having firft feated himfelf, the others fat down before him,
in the ufual manner. The circle increafed, by others drop-
ping in, to the number of a hundred or upward, moflly
old men, all dreffed as above defcribed. The company be-
ing completely affembled, a large root of kava, brought by
one of the king’s fervants, was produced, and a bowl which
contained four or five gallons. Several perfons now began
to chew the root, and this bowl was made brim full of
liquor.
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
317
liquor. While it was preparing, others were employed in
making drinking cups of plantain leaves. The firlt cup
that was filled, was prefented to the king, and he ordered
it to be given to another perfon. The fecond was alfo
brought to him, which he drank, and the third was offered
to me. Afterward, as each cup was filled, the man who
filled it, afked, who was to have it ? Another then named
the perfon ; and to him it was carried. As the bowl grew
low, the man who diifributed the liquor feemed rather at a
lofs to whom cups of it fhould be next fent, and frequently
confulted thofe who fat near him. This mode of diftribu-
tion continued, while any hquor remained ; and though
not half the company had a fliare, yet no one feemed dif-
fatisfied. About half a dozen cups ferved for all ; and each,
as it was emptied, was thrown down upon the ground,
where the fervants picked it up, and carried it to be filled
again. During the whole time, the Chief and his circle
fat, as was ufually the cafe, with a great deal of gravity,
hardly fpeaking a word to each other.
We had long waited in expe6tation, each moment, of
feeing the mourning ceremony begin ; when, foon after
the kava was drank out, to our great furprize and difap-
pointment, they all rofe up and difperfed ; and Poulaho
told us, he was now ready to attend us to the fliips. If
this was a mourning ceremony, it was a flrange one. Per-
haps, it was the fecond, third, or fourth mourning; or,
which was not very uncommon, Omai might have mif-
underllood what Poulaho faid to him. For, excepting
the change of drefs, and the putting the green bough
round their necks, nothing feemed to have paffed at this
meeting, but what we faw them practife, too frequently,
every day.
J777-
June.
“ We
A VOYAGE TO
31S
1777. “ We had feen the drinking of kava fometimes, at the
. other iflands ; but, by no means, fo frequently as here,
where it feems to be the only forenoon employment of the
principal people. The kava is a fpecies of pepper, which
they cultivate for this purpofe, and efteem it a valuable ar-
ticle, taking great care to defend the young plants from
any injury ; and it is commonly planted about their houfes.
It feldom grows to more than a man’s height; though I
have feen fome plants almoft double that. It branches con-
liderably, with large heart-fhaped leaves, and jointed ftalks.
The root is the only part that is ufed at the Friendly Illands,
which, being dug up, is given to the fervants that attend,
who, breaking it in pieces, fcrape the dirt off with a fliell,
or bit of ftick ; and then each begins and chews his portion,
which he fpits into a piece of plantain leaf. The perfon,
who is to prepare the liquor, colle61:s all thefe mouthfuls,
and puts them into a large wooden dilh or bowl, adding as
much water as will make it of a proper ftrength. It is,
then, well mixed up with the hands ; and fome loofe fluff,
of which mats are made, is thrown upon the furface,
which intercepts the fibrous part, and is wrung hard, to
get as much hquid out from it, as is poflible. The manner
of diftributing it need not be repeated. The quantity which
is put into each cup, is commonly about a quarter of a pint.
The immediate effedl of this beverage is not perceptible on
thefe people, who ufe it fo frequently ; but on fome of
ours, who ventured to try it, though fo naftily prepared, it
had the fame power as fpirits have, in intoxicating them ;
or, rather, it produced that kind of flupefacSlion, which is
the confequence of ufing opium, or other fubflances of that
* The following account of kava^ to the end of this paragraph, is infertcd from Mr.
Anderfon’s journal.
kind.
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
319
kind. It Ihould be obferved, at the fame time, that though
thefe illanders have this liquor always frefh prepared, and I
have feen them drink it feven times before noon, it is, ne-
verthelefs, fo difagreeable, or, at leaft, feems fo, that the
greateft part of them cannot fwallow it without making wry
faces, and fhuddering afterward.”
As foon as this mourning ceremony was over, we left
Mooa, and fet out to return to the fhips. While we rowed
down the lagoon or inlet, we met with two canoes coming
in from filhing. Poulaho ordered them to be called along-
Iide our boat, and took from them every fifli and fliell they
had got. He, afterward, flopped two other canoes, and
fearched them, but they had nothing. Why this was done,
I cannot fay ; for we had plenty of provilions in the boat.
Some of this fifli he gave to me; and his fervants fold
the reft on board the fhip. As we proceeded down the in-
let, we overtook a large failing canoe. Every perfon on
board her, that was upon his legs when we came up, fat
down tiU we had pafled ; even the man who fleered,
though he could not manage the helm, except in a ftanding
pofture.
Poulaho, and others, having informed me, that there
was fome excellent water On Onevy, a little ifland, which
lies about a league off the mouth of the inlet, and on
the North fide of the Eaftern channel, we landed there,
in order to tafte it. But I found it to be as brackifh as
moft that we had met with. This ifland is quite in a
natural ftate, being only frequented as a fifhing place,
and has nearly the fame productions as Palmerfton’s
Ifland, with fome etoa trees. After leaving Onevy, where
we dined, in our way to the fhip, we took a view of a cu-
rious coral rock, which feems to have been thrown upon
the
320
A VOYAGE TO
1777.
June.
Saturday 28.
the reef where it hands. It is elevated about ten or twelve
feet above the furface of the fea that furrounds it. The
bafe it refts upon, is not above one-third of the circumfe-
rence of its projecting fummit, which I judged to be about
one hundred feet, and is covered with etoa and pandanus
trees.
When we got on board the fliip, I found that every thing
had been quiet during my abfence, not a theft having been
committed; of which Feenou, and Futtafaihe, the king’s
brother, who had undertaken the management of his
countrymen, boalted not a little. This fliews what power
the Chiefs have, when they have the will to execute it;
which we were feldom to expeCt, lince, whatever was
ftolen from us, generally, if not always, was conveyed to
them.
The good conduCl of the natives was of fliort duration ;
for, the next day, fix or eight of them affaulted fome of our
people, who were fawing planks. They were fired upon
by the fentry ; and one was fuppofed to be wounded, and
three others taken. Thefe I kept confined till night ; and
did not difmifs them without punifhment. After this, they
behaved with a little more circumfpeClion, and gave us
much lefs trouble. This change of behaviour, was cer-
tainly occafioned by the man being wounded ; for, before,
they had only been told of the effeCl of fire-arms, but now
they had felt it. The repeated infolence of the natives, had
induced me to order the mufquets of the fentries to be
loaded with fmall fliot, and to authorize them to fire on par-
ticular occafions. I took it for granted, therefore, that this
man had only been wounded with fmall fliot. But Mr.
King and Mr. Anderfon, in an excurfion into the country,
met with him, and found indubitable marks of his having
been
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
been wounded, but not dangeroufly, with a mufquet ball.
I never could find out how this mufquet happened to be
charged with ball ; and there were people enough ready to
fwear, that its contents were only fmall fliot.
Mr. Anderfon’s account of the excurfion, juft menfioned,
will fill up an interval of two days, during which nbthing
of note happened, at the fliips : “ Mr. King and I went, on
the 30th, along with Futtafaihe as vifiters to his houfe,
which is at Mooa, very near that of his brother Poulaho.
A fliort time after we arrived, a pretty large hog was killed ;
which is done by repeated ftrokes on the head. The hair
was then fcraped off, very dextroufly, with the lharp edge
of pieces of fplit bamboo ; taking the entrails out at a large
oval hole cut in the belly, by the fame fimple inftrument.
Before this, they had prepared an oven ; which is a large
hole dug in the earth, filled at the bottom with ftones, about
the fize of the fift, over which a fire is made till they are
red hot. They took fome of thefe ftones, wrapt up in leaves
of the bread-fruit tree, and filled the hog’s belly, ftufiing
in a quantity of leaves, to prevent their falling out, and
putting a plug of the fame kind in the anus. The carcafe
was then placed on fome fticks laid acrofs the ftones, in a
ftanding pofture, and covered with a great quantity of plan-
tain leaves. After which, they dug up the earth, all round ;
and having thus effeblually clofed the oven, the operation
of baking required no farther interference.
In the mean time we walked about the country, but met
with nothing remarkable, except a Jiatooka of one houfe,
ftanding on an artificial mount, at leaft thirty feet high. A
little on one fide of it, was a pretty large open area ; and,
not far off, was a good deal of uncultivated ground ; which,
on inquiring why it lay wafte, our guides feemed to fay,
VoL. I. T t belonged
321
1777-
June.
'
Monday 30.
522
A VOYAGE TO
1777. belonged to the Jiatooka (which was Poulaho’s), and was not,
. by any means, to be touched. There was alfo, at no great
diftance, a number of etoa trees, on which clung vail num-
bers of the large ternate bats, making a difagreeable noife.
We could not kill any, at this time, for want of mufquets ;
but fome, that were got at Annamooka, meafured near
three feet, when the wings were extended. On our return-
ing to Futtafaihe’s houfe, he ordered the hog, that had been
dreffed, to be produced, with feveral balkets of baked yams,
and fome cocoa-nuts. But we found, that, inlfead of his
entertaining us, we were to entertain him ; the property of
the feaft being entirely transferred to us, as his guetls, and
we were to difpofe of it as we pleafed. The fame perfon
who cleaned the hog in the morning, now cut it up (but
not before we delired him), in a very dextrous manner,
with a knife of fplit bamboo ; dividing the feveral parts, and
hitting the joints, with a quicknefs and fkill that furprized
us very much. The whole was fet down before us, though
at leaft fifty pounds weight, until we took a fmall piece
away, and defired, that they would fliare the reft amongft
the people fitting round. But it was not without a great
many fcruples they did that at laft ; and then they afked,
what particular perfons they fhould give it to. However,
they were very well pleafed, when they found, that it was
not contrary to any cuftom of ours ; fome carrying off the
portion they had received, and others eating it upon the
fpot. It was with great difficulty, that we could prevail
upon Futtafaihe himfelf to eat a fmall bit.
After dinner, we went with him, and five or fix people,
his attendants, toward the place where Poulaho’s mourning
ceremony was tranfacfted, the laft time we were at Mooa ;
but we did not enter the inclofure. Every perfon who went
with
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
3^3
with us, had the mat tied over his cloth, and fome leaves 1777.
about the neck, as had been done on the former occalion ; , ,
^ ' _.iii ~ , — ■ I I*
and when we arrived at a large open boat-houfe, where a
few people were, they threw away their leaves, fat down
before it, and gave their cheeks a few gentle ftrokes with
the fill ; after which they continued fitting, for about ten
minutes, with a very grave appearance, and then difperfed,
without having fpoken a fingle word. This explained
what Poulaho had mentioned about T^ooge ; though, from
the operation only lafting a few feconds, he had not been
obferved to perform it. And this feems to be only a con-
tinuation of the mourning ceremony, by way of condo-
lence. For, upon inquiring, on whofe account it was now
performed ; we were told, that it was for a Chief who had
died at Vavaoo, fome time ago ; that they had prad:ifed
it ever fince, and fliould continue to do fo, for a confider-^
able time longer.
In the evening, we had a pig, dreffed as the hog, with
yams and cocoa-nuts, brought for fupper ; and Futtafaihe
finding, that we did not like the fcruples they had made
before, to accept of any part of the entertainment, aiked
us immediately to fliare it, and give it to whom we pleafed.
When fupper was over, abundance of cloth was brought
for us to lleep in ; but we were a good deal diflurbed, by
a fingular inftance of luxury, in which their principal men
indulge themfelves ; that of being beat while they are
alleep. Two women fat by Futtafaihe, and performed this
operation, which is called tooge tooge, by beating brifkly on
his body and legs, with both fifls, as on a drum, till he fell
alleep, and continuing it the whole night, with fome fliort
intervals. When once the perfon is afleep, they abate a
little in the ftrength and quicknefs of the beating ; but re-’
T t 2 fume
324
)
A VOYAGE TO
‘777-
June.
»
July.
Tuefday i.
fume it, if they obferve any appearance of his awaking.
In the morning, we found that Futtafaihe’s women relieved
each other, and went to deep by turns. In any other coun-
try, it would be fuppofed, that fuch a pra6tice would put
an end to all reft ; hut here it certainly ails as an opiate ;
and is a ftrong proof of what habit may effeil. The noife
of this, however, was not the only thing that kept us
awake ; for the people, who pafted the night in the houfe,
not only converfed amongft each other frequently, as in
the day ; but all got up before it was light, and made a
hearty meal on fifli and yams, which were brought to them
by a perfon, who feemed to know very well the appointed
time for this noilurnal refrefliment.
Next morning we fet out with Futtafaihe, and walked
down the Eaft ftde of the bay, to the point. The country,
all along this fide, is well cultivated ; but, in general, not
fo much inclofed as at Mooa; and amongft many other
plantain fields that we pafled, there was one at leaft a mile
long, which was in excellent order, every tree growing
with great vigour. We found, that, in travelling, Futta-
faihe exercifed a power, though by no means wantonly,
which pointed out the great authority of fuch principal
men ; or is, perhaps, only annexed to thofe of the royal
family. For he fent to one place for fifii ; to another for
yams ; and fo on, at other places ; and all his orders were
obeyed with the greateft readinefs, as if he had been abfolute
mafter of the people’s property. On coming to the point, the
natives mentioned fomething of one, who, they faid, had
been fired at by fome of our people ; and, upon our wifliing
to fee him, they conducted us to a houfe, where we found
a man, who had been fliot through the flioulder, but not
dangeroufly ; as the ball had entered a little above the inner
part
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
32s
part of the collar-bone, and pafled out obliquely backward. 1777.
We were fure, from the hate of the wound, that he was .
V.,
the perfon who had been fired at by one of the fentinels,
three days before ; though pofitive orders had been given,
that none of them fliould load their pieces with any thing
but fmall fhot. We gave fome direcSlions to his friends
how to manage the wound, to which no application had
been made ; and they feemed pleafed, when we told them
it would get well in a certain time. But, on our going
away, they afked us to fend the wounded man fome yams,
and other things for food ; and in fuch a manner, that we
could not help thinking they confidered it to be our duty
to fupport him, till he fhould get well.
In the evening we crolfed the bay to our ftation, in a
canoe, which Futtafaihe had exercifed his prerogative in
procuring, by calling to the firft that pafiTed by. He had
alfo got a large hog at this place ; and brought a fervant
from his houfe with a bundle of cloth, which he wanted
us to take with us, as a prefent from him. But the boat
being fmall, we objected; and he ordered it to be brought
over to us the next day.”
I had prolonged my ftay at this ifiand, on account of the
approaching eclipfe ; but, on the 2d of July, on looking Wednef. 2.
at the micrometer belonging to the board of longitude, I
found fome of the rack work broken, and the inftrument
ufelefs till repaired ; which there was not time to do be-
fore it was intended to be ufed. Preparing now for our
departure, I got on board, this day, all the cattle, poultry,
and other animals, except fuch as were deftined to remain.
I had deligned to leave a turkey-cock and hen ; but having
now only two of each undifpofed of, one of the hens,
through the ignorance of one of my people, was ftrangled,
and
326
A VOYAGE TO
J777. and died upon the fpot. I had brought three turkey-hens
to thefe illands. One was killed, as above mentioned ; and
the other, by an ufelefs dog belonging to one of the officers.
Thefe two accidents put it out of my power to leave a pair
here ; and, at the fame time, to carry the breed to Ota-
heite, for which illand they were originally intended. I
was forry, afterward, that I did not give the preference to
Tongataboo, as the prefent would have been of more value
there than at Otaheite ; for the natives of the former ifland,
I am perfuaded, would have taken more pains to multiply
the breed.
Thurfday 3. The uext day we took up our anchor, and moved the
ffiips behind Pangimodoo, that we might be ready to take
the advantage of the firft favourable wind, to get through
the narrows. The king, who was one of our company,
this day, at dinner, I obferved, took particular notice of the
plates. This occalioned me to make him an offer of one,
either of pewter, or of earthen ware. He chofe the firft ;
and then began to tell us the feveral ufes to which he in-
tended to apply it. Two of them are fo extraordinary, that
I cannot omit mentioning them. He faid, that, whenever
he fliould have occafion to vifit any of the other iflands, he
would leave this plate behind him at Tongataboo, as a fort
of reprefentative, in his abfence, that the people might pay
it the fame obeifance they do to himfelf in perfon. He
was afked, what had been ufually employed for this pur-
pofe, before he got this plate ; and we had the fatisfacftioii
of learning from him, that this fingular honour had hither-
to been conferred on a wooden bowl in which he waffied
his hands. The other extraordinary ufe to which he meant
to apply it, in the room of his wooden bowl, was to difcover
a thief. He faid, that, wffien any thing was ftolen, and the
thief
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
327
thief could not be found out, the people were all affembled 1777.
together before him, when he wafhed his hands in water in , ,
this veffel ; after which it was cleaned, and then the whole
multitude advanced, one after another, and touched it in
the fame manner as they touch his foot, when .they pay
him obeifance. If the guilty perfon touched it, he died
immediately upon the fpot ; not by violence, but by the
hand of Providence ; and if any one refufed to touch it, his
refufal was a clear proof that he was the man.
In the morning of the 5th, the day of the eclipfe, the Saturday £,
weather was dark and cloudy, with fliowers of rain; fo ^
that we had little hopes of an obfervation. About nine
o’clock the fun broke out at intervals for about half an
hour; after which it was totally obfcured, till within a
minute or two of the beginning of the eclipfe. We were
all at our telefcopes, viz. Mr. Bayly, Mr. King, Captain
Clerke, Mr. Bligh, and myfelf. I loft the obfervation, by
not having a dark glafs at hand, fuitable to the clouds that
were continually palling over the fun ; and Mr. Bligh had
not got the fun into the field of his telefcope ; fo that the
commencement of the eclipfe was only obferved by the
other three gentlemen ; and by them, with an uncertainty
of feveral feconds, as follows :
H. M. S.
By Mr. Bayly, at ii 46 231 *
Mr. King, at ii 46 28 .
Capt. Clerke, at ii 47 5
Apparent time.
Mr. Bayly and Mr. King obferved, with the achromatic
telefcopes, belonging to the board of longitude, of equal
magnifying powers ; and Captain Clerke obferved with one
of the reflectors. The fun appeared at intervals, till about
the
A VOYAGE TO
328
1777* the middle of the eclipfe ; after which it w'as feeii no more
. . during the day ; fo that the end could not be obferved.
The difappointment was of little confequence, lince the
longitude was more than fufficiently determined, indepen-
dently of this eclipfe, by lunar obfervations, w-hich will be
mentioned hereafter.
As foon as we knew the eclipfe to be over, we packed up
the inftruments, took down the obfervatories, and fent
every thing on board that had not been already removed.
As none of the natives had taken the lead: notice or care of
0 the three flieep allotted to Mareewagee, I ordered them to
be carried back to the fliips. I w^as apprehenlive, that, if I
had left them here, they run great rilk of being deftroyed
by dogs. That animal did not exift upon this illand, when
I firft vilited it in 1773 ; but I now found they had got a
good many, partly from the breed then left by myfelf, and
partly from fome, imported lince that time, from an illand
not very remote, called Feejee. The dogs, however, at
prefent, had not found their way into any of the Friendly
Iflands, except Tongataboo ; and none but the Chiefs there
had, as yet, got polTeffion of any.
Being now upon the eve of our departure from this
illand, I lliaU add fome particulars about it, and its pro-
du6tions, for which I am indebted to Mr. Anderfon. And,
having fpent as many weeks there, as I had done days
w^hen I vilited it in 1773, the better opportunities that now
occurred, of gaining more accurate information, and the
Ikill of that gentleman, in directing his enquiries, will, in
fome meafure, fupply the imperfection of my former ac-
count of this illand.
Amfterdam, Tongataboo, or (as the natives alfo very
* From the 4th to the 7th of Odlober.
frequently
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
329
frequently called it) Tonga, is about twenty leagues in 1777.
circuit, fomewhat oblong, though, by much, broadeft at . .
the Eaft end ; and its greateft length from Eaft to Weft. The
South ftiore, which I faw in 1773, is ftraight, and conftfts
of coral rocks, eight or ten feet high, terminating perpen-
dicularly, except in fome places where it is interrupted by
fmaU fandy beaches ; on which, at low water, a range of
black rocks may be feen. The Weft end is not above five
or fix miles broad, but has a fhore fomewhat like that of
the South fide ; whereas the whole North fide is environed
with flioals and illands, and the fliore within them low
and fandy. The Eaft fide or end is, moft probably, like the
South ; as the fliore begins to afiTume a rocky appearance,
toward the North Eaft point, though not above feven or
eight feet high.
The ifland may, with the greateft propriety, be called a
low one, as the trees, on the Weft part, where we now lay
at anchor, only appeared ; and the only eminent part,
which can be feen from a fliip, is the South Eaft point ;
though many gently rifing and declining grounds are ob-
fervable by one who is afliore. The general appearance of
the country does not afford that beautiful kind of landfcape
that is produced from a variety of hills and valleys, lawns,
rivulets, and cafcades ; but, at the fame time, it conveys to
the fpedtator an idea of the moft exuberant fertility, whe-
ther we refpedt the places improved by art, or thofe ftill in
a natural ftate ; both which yield all their vegetable pro-
ducftions w'ith the greateft vigour, and perpetual verdure.
At a diftance, the furface feems entirely clothed with trees
of various fizes ; fome of which are very large. But, above
the reft, the tall cocoa-palms always raife their tufted
heads ; and are far from being the fmalleft ornament to
VoL. I. U 11 any
330
A VOYAGE TO
1777. any country that produces them. The boogo^ which is a
. , fpecies of fig, with narrow pointed leaves, is the largeft
fized tree of the illand ; and on the uncultivated fpots, efpe-
cially toward the fea, the moft common buflies and fmall
trees are the pandanus ; feveral forts of hibifcus ; the fai-
tanoo, mentioned more than once in the courfe of our
voyage ; and a few others. It ought alfo to be obferved,
that though the materials for forming grand landfcapes
are wanting, there are many of what might, at leaft, be
called neat profped:s, about the cultivated grounds and
dwelling-places ; but, more efpecially, about the Jiatookas ;
where fometimes art, and fometimes nature, has done much
to pleafe the eye.
From the fituation of Tongataboo, toward the tropic,
the climate is more variable, than in countries farther
within that line ; though, perhaps, that might be owing
to the feafon of the year, which was now the winter fol-
ftice. The winds are, for the moft part, from fome point
between South and Eaft ; and, when moderate, are com-
monly attended with fine weather. When they blow
freflier, the weather is often cloudy, though open ; and, in
fuch cafes, there is frequently rain. The wind fometimes
veers to the North Eaft, North North Eaft, or even North
North Weft, but never lafts long, nor blows ftrong from
thence ; though it is commonly accompanied by heavy
rain, and clofe fultry weather. The quick fucceftion of
vegetables has been already mentioned ; but I am not cer-
tain that the changes of weather, by which it is brought
about, are conftderable enough to make them perceptible
to the natives as to their method of life, or rather that they
fliould be very fenfible of the different feafons. This,
perhaps, may be inferred from the ftate of their vegetable
productions.
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
331
produdtions, which are never fo much afFe<5led, with re- 1777.
Ipedt to the foliage, as to filed that aU at once ; for every j
leaf is fucceeded by another, as faft as it falls ; which
caufes that appearance of univerfal and continual fpring
found here.
The bafis of the ifland, as far as we know, is entirely a
coral rock, which is the only fort that prefents itfelf on the
fliore. Nor did we fee the lead: appearance of any other
done, except a few fmall blue pebbles drewed about the
fiatookas ; and the fmooth, folid black done, fomething like
the lapis lydius, of which the natives make their hatchets.
But thefe may, probably, have been brought from other
idands in the neighbourhood ; for a piece of flatey, iron-
coloured done was bought at one of them, which was never
feen here. Though the coral projects in many places above
the furface, the foil is, in general, of a condderable depth.
In all cultivated places, it is, commonly, of a loofe, black
colour ; produced, feemingly, in a great meafure, from the
rotten vegetables that are planted there. Underneath which
is, very probably, a clayey Jlratum ; for a foil of that kind
is often feen both in the low, and in the riling grounds ;
but efpecially in feveral places toward the fhore, where it is
of any height ; and, when broken off, appears fometimes of
a reddidi, though oftener of a brownifh yellow colour, and
of a pretty diff conddence. Where the fliore is low, the
foil is commonly fandy, or rather compofed of triturated
coral ; which, however, yields buflies growing with great
luxuriance ; and is fometimes planted, not unfuccefsfully,
by the natives.
Of cultivated fruits, the principal are plantains ; of which
they have fifteen did'erent forts or varieties ; bread-fruit ;
two forts of fruit found at Otaheite, and known there un-
U u 2 der
332
A VOYAGE TO
1777. iier the names of jambu and eeevee ; the latter a kind of
. . plumb ; and vaft numbers of lliaddocks, which, however,
are found as often in a natural ft ate, as planted.
The roots are yams, of which are two forts ; one black,
and fo large, that it often weighs twenty or thirty pounds ;
the other white, and long, feldom weighing a pound ; a
large root, called kappe ; one not unlike our white pota-
toes, called mawhaba ; the taro^ or coccos of other places ;
and another, named jeejee.
Beftdes vaft num.bers of cocoa-nut trees, they have three
other forts of palms, two of which are very fcarce. One of
them is called beeoo ; which grows almoft as high as the
cocoa-tree, has very large leaves plaited like a fan, and
clufters or bunches of globular nuts, not larger than a fmall
piftol ball, grow'ing amongft the branches, with a very hard
kernel, which is fometimes eat. The other is a kind of
cabbage-tree, not diftinguilliable from the cocoa, but by
being rather thicker, and by having its leaves more ragged.
It has a cabbage three or four feet long ; at the top of which
are the leaves, and at the bottom the fruit, which is fcarcely
two inches long, refembling an oblong cocoa-nut, with an
inftpid tenacious kernel, called, by the natives, neeoogoola^
or red cocoa-nut, as it affumes a reddifti call: when ripe.
The third fort is called ongo ongo, and much commoner, be-
ing generally found planted about their fiatookas. It feldom
grows higher than five feet, though fometimes to eight ;
and has a vaft number of oval comprefled nuts, as large as
a pippin, flicking immediately to the trunk, amongft the
leaves, which are not eat. There is plenty of excellent
fugar-cane, which is cultivated ; gourds ; bamboo ; turme-
ric ; and a fpecies of fig, about the fize of a fmall cherry,
called jnatte^ which, though wild, is fometimes eat. But
the
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
333
the catalogue of uncultivated plants is too large to be enu-
merated here. Befides the pemphis decafpermum^ mallo- ^
cocca, jnaba^ and fome other new genera^ defcribed by Dr.
Forller there are a few more found here ; which, perhaps,
the different feafons of the year, and his fliort Ifay, did not
give him an opportunity to take notice of. Although it
did not appear, during our longer ft ay, that above a fourth
part of the trees, and other plants, were in flower ; a cir-
cumftance abfolutely neceflary, to enable one to diftinguifli
the various kinds.
The only quadrupeds, heftdes hogs, are a few rats, and
fome dogs, which are not natives of the place, but pro-
duced from fome left by us in 1773? and by others got from
Feejee. Fowls, which are of a large breed, are domefti-
cated here.
Amongft the birds, are parrots, fomewhat fmaller than
the common grey ones, of an indifferent green on the back
and wings, the tail bluifli, and the reft of a footy or choco-
late brown ; parroquets, not larger than a fparrow, of a
fine yellowifh green, with bright azure on the crown of
the head, and the throat and belly red ; befides another
fort as large as a dove, with a blue crown and thighs, the
throat and under part of the head crimfon, as alfo part of
the belly, and the reft a beautiful green.
There are owls about the fize of our common fort, but
of a finer plumage ; the cuckoos, mentioned at Palmerfton’s
Hland ; king-fifliers, about the fize of a thrufh, of a green-
ifli blue, with a white ring about the neck ; and a bird of
the thrufli kind, almoft as big, of a dull green colour, with
two yellow wattles at the bafe of the bill, which is the only
finging one we obferved here ; but it compenfates a good
* See his CharaSlercs Generum Plantarum, Lend. 1776.
1777-
July.
deal
334
A VOYAGE TO
deal for the want of others by the ftrength and melody of
its notes, which fill the woods at dawn, in the evening, and
at the breaking up of bad weather.
The other land birds are rails, as large as a pigeon, of a
variegated grey colour, with a rufiy neck ; a black fort with
red eyes, not larger than a lark ; large violet-coloured coots,
with red bald crowns ; two forts of fly-catchers ; a very
fmall fwallow ; and three forts of pigeons, one of which is
le raniier cuivre of Monf. Sonnerat ; another, half the fize
of the common fort, of a light green on the back and
wings, with a red forehead ; and a third, fomewhat lefs, of
a purple brown, but whitifli underneath.
Of water-fowl, and fuch as frequent the fea, are the
ducks feen at Annamooka, though fcarce here ; blue and
white herons ; tropic birds ; common noddies ; white terns ;
a new fpecies of a leaden colour, with a black creft; a
fmall bluifli curlew ; and a large plover, fpotted with yellow.
Befides the large bats, mentioned before, there is alfo the
common fort.
The only noxious or difgufting animals of the reptile or
infedf tribe, are fea-fnakes, three feet long, with black
and white circles alternately, often found on fliore ; fome
fcorpions, and centipedes. There are fine green guanoes^ a
foot and a half long ; another brown and fpotted lizard,
about a foot long ; and two other fmall forts. Amongft the
other infe(5ls are fome beautiful moths ; butterflies ; very
large fpiders ; and others ; making, in the whole, about
fifty different forts.
The fea abounds with fifli, though the variety is lefs
than might be expedfed. The moft frequent forts are mul-
lets ; feveral forts of parrot-fifli ; filver fifli ; old wives ;
* Voyage a la Nouvelle Guinky Tab. CII.
fome
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
335
fome beautifully fpotted foies ; leather-jackets ; bonnetos ; 1777.
and albicores ; befides the eels mentioned at Palmerfton’s ,
llland ; fome fliarks ; rays ; pipe-fifli ; a fort of pike ; and
fome curious devil-fifli.
The many reefs and flioals on the North lide of the
illand, afford fhelter for an endlefs variety of fliell-fifli ;
amongft which are many that are efteemed precious in
Europe. Such as the true hammer oyfter ; of which, how-
ever, none could be obtained entire ; a large indentated
oyfter, and feveral others ; but none of the common fort ;
panamas ; cones ; a fort of gigantic cockle, found alfo in
the Eaft Indies ; pearl fliell oyfters ; and many others ; fe-
veral of which, I believe, have been hitherto unknown to
the moft diligent inquirers after that branch of natural hif-
tory. There are, likewife, feveral forts of fea eggs ; and
many very fine ftar-fifli ; befides a confiderable variety of
corals ; amongft which are two red forts ; the one moft ele-
gantly branched, the other tubulous. And there is no lefs
variety amongft the crabs and cray-fifh, which are very
numerous. To which may be added, feveral forts of fponge;
the fea hare, holothurice-, and the like.”
C H A P.
A VOYAGE TO
CHAP. IX.
A grand Solemnity <i called Natche, in Honour of the King^s
Son, performed. — T’he Proceffions and other Cere?nonies,
during the firji Hay, defer ibed. — 'fhe Manner of pafping the
Night at the King^s Houfe. — Continuation of the Solemnity,
the next Hay, — ConjeBures about the Nature of it. — Hepar-
ture from Tongataboo, and Arrival at Eooa. — Account of
that If and, and Tranfadlions there.
1777. were now ready to fail; but the wind being Eaft-
^ V V erly, we had not fufiicient day-light to turn through
Sunday 6. the iiarrows, either with the morning, or with the evening
flood ; the one falling out too early, and the other too late.
So that, without a leading wind, we were under a neceflity
of waiting two or three days.
I took the opportunity of this delay, to be prefent at a
public folemnity, to which the king had invited us, when
we went laft to viflt him, and which, he had informed us,
was to be performed on the 8th. With a view to this,
he and all the people of note, quitted our neighbourhood
Monday 7. repaired to Mooa, where the folemnity
was to be exhibited. A party of us followed them, the
Tuefdays. ncxt momiug. We underftood, from what Poulaho had
faid to us, that his fon and heir was now to be initiated
into certain privileges ; amongft which was, that of eating
with
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
337
with his father ; an honour he had not, as yet, been admit- 1^77.
We arrived at^Mboa about eight o’clock, and found the
king, with a large circle of attendants fitting before him,
within an inclofure fo fmall and dirty, as to excite my
wonder that any fuch could be found in that neighbour-
hood. They were intent upon their ufual morning occu-
pation, in preparing a bowl of kava. As this was no li-
quor for us, we walked out to vifit fome of our friends,
and to obferve what preparations might be making for the
ceremony, which was foon to begin. About ten o’clock,
the people began to affemble in a large area, which is be-
fore the malaee, or great houfe, to which we had been con-
dudted the firft time we vifited Mooa. At the end of a
road, that opens into this area, hood fome men with fpears
and clubs, who kept conftantly reciting, or chanting, fliort
fentences, in a mournful tone, which conveyed fome idea
of diftrefs, and as if they called for fomething. This was
continued about an hour; and, in the mean time, many
people came down the road, each of them bringing a yam,
tied to the middle of a pole, which they laid down, be-
fore the perfons who continued repeating the fentences.
While this was going on, the king and prince arrived, and
feated themfelves upon the area; and wx were delired to
lit down by them, but to pull off our hats, and to untie our
hair. The bearers of the yams being all come in, each
pole was taken up between two men, who carried it over
their fhoulders. After forming themfelves into companies,
of ten or twelve perfons each, they marched acrofs the
place, with a quick pace ; each company, headed by a man
bearing a club or fpear, and guarded, on the right, by feve-
ral others, armed with different weapons. A man carrying
VoL. I. X X a living
338
A VOYAGE TO
1777. a living pigeon on a perch, clofed the rear of the pro-
j ceffion, in which about two hundred and fifty perfons
walked.
Omai was delired by me, to afk the Chief, to what place
the yams were to be thus carried, with fo much folemnity ?
but, as he feemed unwilling to give us the information we
wanted, two or three of us followed the proceffion, contrary
to his inclination. We found that they flopped before a
moral or Jiatooka ’i'" of one houfe {landing upon a mount,
which was hardly a quarter of a mile from the place where
they firfl affembled. Here we obferved them depofiting
the yams, and making them up into bundles ; but for what
purpofe, we could not learn. And, as our prefence feemed
to give them uneafinefs, we left them, and returned to Pou-
laho, who told us, we might amufe ourfelves by walking
about, as nothing would be done for fome time. The fear
of lofing any part of the ceremony, prevented our being
long abfent. When we returned to the king, he delired me
to order the boat’s crew not to flir from the boat ; for, as
every thing would, very foon, be taboo, if any of our people,
or of their own, fliould be found walking about, they would
be knocked dowm with clubs ; nay mateed, that is, killed.
He alfo acquainted us, that we could not be prefent at the
ceremony ; but that we fhould be condu6led to a place,
where we might fee every thing that palTed. Obje<5lions
were made to our drefs. We were told, that, to qualify us
to be prefent, it was necelTary that we fliould be naked as
low as the breafl, with our hats off, and our hair untied.
Omai offered to conform to thefe requifites, and began to
flrip ; other objedlions were then flatted ; fo that the ex-
clulion was given to him equally with ourfelves.
♦ .This is the jiatooka mentioned above by Mr. Anderfon, p. 321.
I did
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
339
I did not much like this reftriiftion ; and, therefore, ftole
out, to fee what might now be going forward. I found
very few people ftirring, except thofe drelTed to attend the
ceremony ; fome of wdiom had in their hands fmall poles,
about four feet long, and to the under-part of thefe were
faftened tw^o or three other flicks, not bigger than one’s
finger, and about fix inches in length. Thefe men were
going toward the jnorai jufl mentioned. I took the fame
road, and was, feveral times, flopped by them, all crying-
out taboo. However, I went forward, \vithout much regard-
ing them, till I came in fight of the tnorai^ and of the people
who were fitting before it. I was now urged, very flrongly,
to go back ; and, not knowing what might be the confe-
quence of a refufal, I complied. I had obferved, that the
people, who carried the poles, palfed this morai, or what I
may, as weU, call temple ; and guefling, from this circum-
flance, that fomething was tranfacfling beyond it, which
might be worth looking at, I had thoughts of advancing,
by making a round, for this purpofe ; but I was fo clofely
w'atched by three men, that I could not put my defign in
execution. In order to fliake thefe fellows off, I returned
to the malaee, where I had left the king, and, from thence,
made an elopement a fecond time ; but I inflantly met with
the fame three men ; fo that it feemed, as if they had been
ordered to watch my motions. I paid no regard to what
they faid or did, tiU I came within fight of the king’s prin-
cipal Jiatooka or moral, which 1 have already defcribed be-
fore which a great number of men w'ere fitting, being the
fame perfons whom I had jufl before feen pafs by the other
moral, from which this was but a little diflant. Obferving,
that I could watch the proceedings of this company from
* See p. 313.
X x 2 the
1777.
July.
— V—
340
A VOYAGE TO
1777- the king’s plantation, I repaired thither, very much to the
. . fatisfa^lion of thofe who attended me.
As foon as I got in, I acquainted the gentlemen who had
come with me from the lliips, with what I had feen ; and
we took a proper Ifation, to watch the refult. The num-
ber of people, at the fiatookay continued to increafe for fome
time ; and, at length, we could fee them quit their fitting
pofture, and march off in proceflion. They walked in pairs,
one after another, every pair carrying, between them, one
of the fmall poles above-mentioned, on their flioulders.
We were told, that the fmall pieces of flicks, faftened to the
poles, were yams ; fo that, probably, they were meant to
reprefent this root emblematically. The hindmofl man of
each couple, for the mofl part, placed one of his hands to
the middle of the pole, as if, without this additional fup-
port, it were not flrong enough to carry the weight that
hung to it, and under which they all feemed to bend, as
they walked. This proceffion confifled of one hundred and
eight pairs, and all, or mofl of them, men of rank. They
came clofe by the fence behind which we flood ; fo that we
had a full view of them.
Having waited here, till they had all paffed, we then re-
paired to Poulaho’s houfe, and faw him going out. We
could not be allowed to follow him ; but were, forthwith,
condudled to the place allotted to us, which was behind a
fence, adjoining to the area of the Jiatooka where the yams
had been depolited in the forenoon. As we were not the
only people who were excluded from being publicly prefent
at this ceremony, but allowed to peep from behind the cur-
tain, we had a good deal of company ; and I obferved, that
all the other inclofures, round the place, Avere filled with
people. And, yet, all imaginable care feemed to be taken,
that
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
that they fliould fee as little as poflible ; for the fences had
not only been repaired that morning, but, in many places,
raifed higher than common ; fo that the tailed; man could
not look over them. To remedy this defedt in our ftation,
we took the liberty to cut holes in the fence, with our
knives ; and, by this means, we could fee, pretty diftindily,;
every thing that was tranfa6ting on the other lide.
On our arrival at our ftation, we found two or three
hundred people, fitting on the grafs, near the end of the
road that opened into the area of the 7norai ; and the num-
ber continually increafed, by others joining them. At lengthy
arrived a few men carrying fome fmall poles, and branches
or leaves of the cocoa-nut tree ; and, upon their firft ap-
pearance, an old man feated himfelf in the road, and, with
his face toward them, pronounced a long oration in a feri-
ous tone. He then retired back, and the others advancing
to the middle of the area, began to eredb a fmall flied ; em-
ploying, for that purpofe, the materials above-mentioned.
When they had finiflied their work, they all fquatted down,
for a moment, before it, then rofe up, and retired to the reft
of the company. Soon after, came Poulaho’s fon, preceded
by four or five men, and they feated themfelves a little afide
from the fhed, and rather behind it. After th^m, appeared
twelve or fourteen women of the firfl rank, walking flowly
in pairs, each pair carrying between them a narrow piece
of white cloth extended, about two or three yards in length.
Thefe marched up to the prince, fquatted down before him ;■
and, having wrapped fome of the pieces of the cloth they
had brought, round his body, they rofe up, and retired in
the fame order, to fome diftance on his left, and there feated
themfelves. PoLilaho himfelf foon made his appearance,
preceded by four men, who walked two and two abreafl,
and
34^
A VOYAGE TO
1777- and fat down on his fon’s left hand, about twenty paces
from him. The young prince, then, quitting his firft pofi-
tion, went and fat down under the died, with his attend-
ants ; and a conliderable number more placed themfelves
on the grafs, before this royal canopy. The prince himfelf
fat facing the people, with his back to the morai. This
being done, three companies, of ten or a dozen men in
each, darted up from amongft the large crowd, a little after
each other, and running haftily to the oppolite dde of the
area, fat down for a few feconds ; after which, they re-
turned, in the fame manner, to their former ftations. To
them fucceeded two men, each of whom held a fmall
green branch in his hand, who got up and approached the
prince, fitting down, for a few feconds, three different
times, as they advanced ; and then, turning their backs,
retired in the fame manner, inclining their branches to
each other as they fat. In a little time, two more repeated
this ceremony.
The grand proceflion, which I had feen march off from
the other moraiy now began to come in. To judge of the
circuit they had made, from the time they had been abfent,
it muff have been pretty large. As they entered the area,
they marched up to the right of the flied, and, having
proftrated themfelves on the grafs, depofited their pretend-
ed burthens (the poles above-mentioned), and faced round
to the prince. They then rofe up, and retired in the fame
order, doling their hands, which they held before them,
with the molt ferious afped, and feated themfelves along
the front of the area. During all the time that this nume-
rous band were coming in, and depoliting their poles, three
men, who fat under the died, with the prince, continued
pronouncing feparate fentences, in a melancholy tone.
After
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
343
After this, a profound filence enfued, for a little time,
and then a man, who fat in the front of the area, began an ^
oration (or prayer), during which, at feveral different times,
he went and broke one of the poles, which had been
brought in by thofe who had walked in proceflion. When
he had ended, the people, fitting before the died, feparated,
to make a lane, through which the prince and his atten-
dants paffed, and the affembly broke up.
Some of our party, fatisfied with what they had already
feen, now returned to the fhips ; but I, and two or three
more of the officers, remained at Mooa, to fee the conclu-
lion of the folemnity, which was not to be till the next day ;
being defirous of omitting no opportunity, which might
afford any information about the religious or the political
inflitutions of this people. The fmall flicks or poles, which
had been brought into the area, by thofe who walked in
proceflion, being left lying on the ground, after the crowd
had difj^erfed, I went and examined them. I found, that to
the middle of each, two or three fmall flicks were tied, as
has been related. Yet we had been repeatedly told by the
natives, who flood near us, that they were young yams ;
infomuch that fome of our gentlemen believed them,
rather than their own eyes. As I had the demonflra-
tion of my fenfes to fatisfy me, that they were not real
yams, it is clear, that we ought to have underflood them,
that they w'ere only the artificial reprefentations of thefe
roots.
Our fupper w^as got ready about feven o’clock. It con-
fifted of filh and yams. We might have had pork alfo ; but
we did not choofe to kill a large hog, which the king had
given to us for that purpofe. He flipped with us, and drank
pretty freely of brandy and water ; fo that he went to bed
with
1777.
July.
344
A VOYAGE TO
1777- with a fufficient dofe. We pafled the night in the fame
. honfe with him, and feveral of his attendants.
Wedaef. 9. About oiie or two o’clock in the morning they waked,
and converfed for about an hour, and then went to lleep
again. All, but Poulaho himfelf, rofe at day -break, and
went, I know not whither. Soon after, a woman, one of
thofe who generally attended upon the Chief, came in, and
inquired where he was. I pointed him out to her ; and
die immediately fat down by him, and began the fame
operation, which Mr. Anderfon had feen pracStifed upon
Futtafaihe, tapping or beating gently, with her clinched
fills, on his thighs. This, inftead of prolonging his deep,
as was intended, had the contrary effect ; however, though
he awaked, he continued to lie down.
Omai, and I, now went to vifit the prince, who had part-
ed from us early in the evening. For he did not lodge with
the king ; but in apartments of his own, or, at lead, fuch
as had been allotted to him, at fome diftance from his fa-
ther’s houfe. We found him with a circle of boys, or
youths, about his own age, fitting before him ; and an old
woman, and an old man, who feemed to have the care of
him, fitting behind. There were others, both men and
women, employed about their necefiary affairs, in differ-
ent departments ; who, probably, belonged to his houfe-
hold.
From the prince we returned to the king. By this time
he had got up, and had a crowded circle before him, com-
pofed chiefly of old men. While a large bowl of kava was
preparing, a baked hog and yams, fmoking hot, were
brought in ; the greateft part of which fell to our fliare,
and was very acceptable to the boat’s crew : for thefe people
eat very little in a morning; efpecially the kava drinkers.
I after-
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
345
I afterward walked out, and vifited feveral other Chiefs ; 1777,
and found, that all of them were taking their morning ,
draught, or had already taken it. Returning to the king, I
found him alleep in a fmall retired hut, with two women
tapping on his breech. About eleven o’clock he arofe
again ; and then fome fifli and yams, which tailed as if
they had been ilewed in cocoa-nut milk, were brought to
him. Of thefe he eat a large portion, and lay down once
more to fleep. I now left him, and carried to the prince
a prefent of cloth, beads, and other articles, which I had
brought with me from the ill ip for the purpofe. There
was a fufficient quantity of cloth to make him a complete
fuit ; and he was immediately decked out with it. Proud
of his drefs, he iiril went to fhew himfelf to his father ;
and then conducted me to his mother ; with whom were
about ten or a dozen other women of a refpeftable ap-
pearance. Here the prince changed his apparel, and made
me a prefent of two pieces of the cloth manufadlured in the
ifland. By this time, it was pail noon, when, by appoint-
ment, I repaired to the palace to dinner. Several of our
gentlemen had returned, this morning, from the fliips ; and
we were all invited to the feail, which was prefently ferved
up, and coniiiled of two pigs and yam^s. I roufed the drowfy
monarch, to partake of what he had provided for our enter-
tainment. In the mean time, two mullets, and fome iliell-
iiili, were brought to him, as I fuppofed, for his feparate
lx)rtion. But he joined it to our fare, fat down with us,
and made a hearty meal.
When dinner was over, we were told that the ceremony
would foon begin ; and were ilridlly enjoined not to walk
out. I had relblved, however, to peep no longer from
behind the curtain, but to mix with the actors themfelves,
VoL. I. y y if
346
A VOYAGE TO
if poilible. With this view, I hole out from the planta-
tion, and walked toward the morai^ the fcene of the folem-
nity. I was, feveral times, delired to go back, by people
whom I met ; but I paid no regard to them ; and they buf-
fered me to pafs on. When 1 arrived at the morai^ I found
a number of men feated on the fide of the area, on each
lide of the road that leads up to it. A few were fitting on
the oppofite fide of the area ; and two men in the middle of
it, with their faces turned to the moral. When I got into
the midfl of the firfl company, I was defired to fit down ;
which I accordingly did. Where 1 fat, there were lying a
number of fmall bundles or parcels, compofed of cocoa-nut
leaves, and tied to flicks made into the form of hand-
barrows. All the information I could get about them was,
that they were taboo. Our number kept continually in-
creafing ; every one coming from the fame quarter. From
time to time, one or another of the company turned him-
felf to thofe who were coming to join us, and made a
fhort fpeech ; in which I could remark that the word
arekee.^ that is King, was generally mentioned. One man
faid fomething that produced burfts of hearty laughter
from all the crowd ; others, of the fpeakers, met with
public applaufe. I was, feveral times, defired to leave the
place ; and, at lafl, when they found that I would not llir,
after fome feeming confultation, they applied to me to
uncover my fhoulders as theirs were. With this requefl
I complied ; and then they feemed to be no longer imeafy
at my prefence.
I fat a full hour, without any thing more going forward,
befide what I have mentioned. At length the prince, the
women, and the king, all came in, as they had done the day
before. The prince, being placed under the died, after
his
THE PACIFIC OCEAN,
347
his father’s arrival, two men, each carrying a piece of mat,
came, repeating fomething ferioully, and put them about
him. The aflembled people now began their operations ;
and firft, three companies ran backward and forward acrofs
the area, as defcribed in the account of the proceedings of
the former day. Soon after, the two men, who fat in the
middle of the area, made a fliort fpeech or prayer; and
then the whole body, amongft whom I had my place, ftart-
ed up, and ran and feated themfelves before the Ihed under
which the prince, and three or four men, were fitting. I
was now partly under the management of one of the com-
pany, who feemed very affiduous to ferve me. By his
means, I was placed in fuch a fituation, that, if I had been
allowed to make ufe of my eyes, nothing that paffed could
have efcaped me. But it was neceffary to fit with down-
cafl looks, and demure as maids.
Soon after, the proceflion came in, as on the day before ;
each two perfons bearing on their flioulders a pole, round
the middle of which, a cocoa-nut leaf was plaited. Thefe
were depofited with ceremonies fimilar to thofe obferved
on the preceding day. This firft proceflion was followed
by a fecond ; the men compofing which, brought bafkets,
fuch as are ufually employed by this people to carry provi-
fions in, and made of palm leaves. Thefe were followed by
a third proceflion, in which were brought different kinds
of fmall fifli ; each fixed at the end of a forked flick. The
bafkets were carried up to an old man, whom I took to be
the Chief Priefl, and who fat on the prince’s right-hand,
without the filed. He held each in his hand, while he made
a fliort fpeech or prayer ; then laid it down, and called for
another, repeating the fame words as before ; and thus he
went through the whole number of bafkets. The fifli were
Y y 2 prefented.
1777.
July.
348
A VOYAGE TO
1777. prefeiited, one by one, on the forked flicks, as they came
in, to two men, who fat on the left ; and who, till now,
held green branches in their hands. The firft fifh they laid
down on their right, and the fecond on their left. When
the third was prefented, a flout looking man, who fat be-
hind the other two, reached his arm over between them,
and made a fnatch at it ; as alfo did the other two, at the
very fame time. Thus they feemed to contend for every
fifli that was prefented ; but as there were two hands againft
one, befides the advantage of fituation, the man behind got
nothing but pieces ; for he never quitted his hold, till the
fifli was torn out of his hand ; and what little remained in
it, he fliook out behind him. The others laid what they
got, on the right and left alternately. At length, either by
accident or defign, the man behind got pofTeflion of a whole
fifla, without either of the other two fo much as touching
it. .At this, the word mareeal., which fignifies very good^ or
well done^ was uttered in a low voice throughout the whole
crowd. It feemed, that he had performed now all that was.
expedled from him ; for he made no attempt upon the few
fifli that came after. Thefe fifli, as alfo the bafkets, were
all delivered, by the perfons who brought them in, fit-
ting ; and, in the fame order and manner, the fmall poles,
which the firfl proceflioii carried, had been laid upon the
ground.
The lafl proceffion being clofed, there was fome fpeak-
ing or praying, by different perfons. Then, on fome fignal
being given, we all flarted up, ran feveral paces to the left,
and fat down with our backs to the prince, and the few
who remained with him. I was defired not to look behind
me. However, neither this injuncftion, nor the remem-
brance of Lot’s \fife, difcouraged me from facing about..
I now
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
349
I now faw that the prince had turned his face to the -morai.
But this laft movement had brought fo many people be-
tween him and me, that I could not perceive what was
doing. I was afterward affured, that, at this very time, the
prince was admitted to the high honour of eating with his
father ; which, till now, had never been permitted to him ;
a piece of roalfed yam being prefented to each of them for
this purpofe. This was the more probable, as we had been
told, before-hand, that this was to happen during the fo-
lemnity ; and as all the people turned their backs to them,
at this time, which they always do when their monarch
eats.
1777.
July.
After fome little time, we all faced about, and formed a
femicircle before the prince, leaving a large open fpace be-
tween us. Prefently there appeared fome men coming to-
ward us, two and two, bearing large fticks, or poles, upon
their fhoulders, making a noife that might be called ling-
ing, and waving their hands as they advanced. When they
had got clofe up to us, they made a fhew of walking very
fall, without proceeding a lingle ftep. Immediately after,
three or four men Ifarted up from the crowd, with large
fticks in their hands, who ran toward thofe new-comers.
The latter inftantly threw down the poles from their flioul-
ders, and fcampered oft'; and the others attacked the poles ;•
and, having beat them moft unmercifully, returned to their
places. As the pole-bearers ran off, they gave the challenge
that is ufual here in wreftling ; and, not long after, a num-
ber of ftout fellows came from the fame quarter, repeating
the challenge as they advanced. Thefe were oppofed by a
party, who came from the oppoftte ftde almoft at the fame
inftant. The two parties paraded aboitt the area for a few
minutes, and then retired, each to their own ftde. After
thisj.
350
A VOYAGE TO
this, there were wreftling and boxing-matches for about
half an hour. Then two men feated themfelves before the
prince, and made fpeeches, addrefled, as I thought, en-
tirely to him. With this the folemnity ended, and the
whole affembly broke up.
I now went and examined the feveral bafkets which had
been prefented ; a curiolity that I was not allowed before
to indulge ; becaufe every thing was then taboo. But the
folemnity being now over, they became, fimply, what I
found them to be, empty bafkets. So that, whatever they
were fuppofed to contain, was emblematically reprefented.
And fo, indeed, was every other thing which had been
brought in procellion, except the fifli.
We endeavoured, in vain, to find out the meaning, not
only of the ceremony in general, which is called Natche,
but of its different parts. We feldom got any other anfwer
to our inquiries, but taboo ; a word, which, I have before
obferved, is applied to many other things. But, as the
prince was, evidently, the principal perfon concerned in
it ; and as we had been told by the king, ten days before
the celebration of the Natche, that the people would bring
in yams for him and his fon to eat together ; and as he
even defcribed fome part of the ceremony, we concluded,
from what he had then faid, and from what we now faw,
that an oath of allegiance, if I may fo exprefs myfelf, or
folemn promife, was, on this occafion, made to the prince,
as the immediate fucceffor to the regal dignity, to Hand by
him, and to furnifli him with the feveral articles that were
here emblematically reprefented. This feems the more
probable, as all the principal people of the ifland, whom
we had ever feen, affiffed in the proceflions. But, be this
«is it may, the whole was conducfted with a great deal of
myfterious
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
351
myfterious folemnity ; and, that there was a mixture of
religion in the inifitution, was evident, not only from the
place where it was performed, but from the manner of
performing it. Our drefs and deportment had never been
called in queftion, upon any former occalion , whatever.
Now, it was expelled that we fliould be uncovered as low
jts the waift ; that our hair fliould be loofe, and flowing
over our flioulders ; that we fliould, like themfelves, lit
crofs-legged ; and, at times, in the mod; humble pofture,
with down-caft eyes, and hands locked together ; all which
requilites were moft devoutly obferved by the whole af-
fembly. And, lalfly, every one was excluded from the fo-
lemnity, but the principal people, and thofe who affifled
in the celebration. All thefe circumftances were to me a
fufficient teftiniony, that, upon this occalion, they conli-
dered themfelves as a6ting under the immediate iiifpechioii
of a Supreme Being.
The prefent Natche may be conlidered, from the above
account of it, as merely figurative. For the fmall quantity
of yams, which we faw the lirfl day, could not be intended
as a general contribution ; and, indeed, we were given to
underhand, that they were a portion confecrated to the
Otooa, or Divinity. But we were informed, that, in about
three months, there would be performed, on the fame ac-
count, a far more important and grander folemnity ; on
which occalion, not only the tribute of Tongataboo, but
that of Hapaee, Vavaoo, and of all the other illands, would
be brought to the Chief, and confirmed more awfully, by
facrificing ten human victims from amongft the inferior
fort of people. A horrid folemnity indeed ! and which is
a moft lignificant inftance of the influence of gloomy and
ignorant fiq^erftition, over the minds of one of the moft
benevolent
A VOYAGE TO
352
1777. benevolent and humane nations upon earth. On inquiring
into the reafons of fo barbarous a practice, they only faid,
that it was a necelTary part of the Natche ; and that, if
they omitted it, the Deity would certainly deftroy their
king.
Before the affembly broke up, the day was far fpent ; and
as we were at fome diftance from the fliips, and had an in-
tricate navigation to go through, we were in hafte to fet out
from Mooa. When I took leave of Poulaho, he preffed me
much to If ay till the next day, to be prefent at a funeral ce-
remony. The wife of Mareewagee, who was mother-in-law
to the king, had lately died ; and her corpfe had, on account
of the Natcbe, been carried on board a canoe that lay in
the lagoon. Poulaho told me, that, as foon as he had paid the
laft offices to her, he would attend me to Eooa ; but, if I did
not wait, that he would follow me thither. I underftood,
at the fame time, that, if it had not been for the death of
this woman, mofl of the Chiefs would have accompanied us
to that ifland ; where, it feems, all of them have poffeffions.
I would gladly have waited to fee this ceremony alfo, had
not the tide been -now favourable for the fhips to get
through the narrows. The wind, befides, which, for feve-
ral days paft, had been very boifterous, was now mode-
rate and fettled ; and to have lofl this opportunity, might
have detained us a fortnight longer. But what was deci-
five againft my waiting, we underflood that the funeral ce-
remonies would lafl five days, which was too long a time,
as the fhips lay in fuch a lituation, that I could not get to
fea at pleafure. I, however, affured the king, that, if we
did not fail, I fliould certainly vifit him again the next day.
And fo we all took leave of him, and fet out for the fliips,
where we arrived about eight o’clock in the evening.
I had
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
353
I had forgot to mention, that Omai was prefent at this fe- 1777.
cond day’s ceremony as well as myfelf ; but we were not . ,
together ; nor did I know that he was there, till it was al-
moft over. He afterward told me, that, as foon as the
king faw that I had ftolen out from the plantation, he fent
feveral people, one after another, to defire me to come back.
Probably, thefe melTengers were not admitted to the place
where I was ; for I faw nothing of them. At laft, intelli-
gence was brought to the Chief, that I had adtually drip-
ped, in conformity to their cuftom ; and then he told Omai,
that he might be prefent alfo, if he would comply with all
the neceffary forms. Omai had no objedlion, as nothing
was required of him, but to conform to the cuftom of his
own country. Accordingly, he was furnifhed with a proper
drefs, and appeared at the ceremony as one of the natives.
It is likely, that one reafon of our being excluded at firft,
was an apprehenfion, that we would not fubmit to the re-
quifites to qualify us to aflift.
While I was attending the Natche at Mooa, I ordered the
horfes, bull and cow, and goats, to be brought thither;
thinking that they would be fafer there, under the eyes of
the Chiefs, than at a place that would be, in a manner, de-
ferred, the moment after our departure. Befides the above-
mentioned animals, we left with our friends here, a young
boar, and three young fows, of the Englifli breed. They
were exceedingly defirous of them, judging, no doubt, that
they would greatly improve their own breed, w^hich is ra-
ther fmall. Feenou alfo got from us two rabbits, a buck
and a doe ; and, before we failed, we were told, that young
ones had been already produced. If the cattle fucceed, of
which I make no doubt, it will be a vaft acquifttion to thefe
VoL. I. Z z iflands ;
354
A VOYAGE TO
1777. iflands ; and, as Tongataboo is a fine level country, the
. . horfes cannot but be ufefuL
Thurfdayio. On the loth, at eight o’clock in the morning, we weighed
anchor, and, with a heady gale at South Eah, turned
through the channel, between the fmall illes called Makka-
haa and Monooafai ; it being much wider than the channel
between the lall mentioned illand and Pangimodoo. The
flood fet flrong in our favour, till we were the length of the
channel leading up to the lagoon^ where the flood from the
Eaftward meets that from the Weft. This, together with
the indraught of the lagoon^ and of the fhoals before it,
caufeth ftrong ripplings and whirlpools. To add to thefe
dangers, the depth of water in the channel exceeds the
length of a cable ; fo that there is no anchorage, except
clofe to the rocks, where we. meet with forty and forty-five
fathoms, over a bottom of dark fand. But then, here, a
fliip would be expofed to the whirlpools. This fruftrated
the deftgn which I had formed, of coming to an anchor, as
foon as we were through the narrows, and of making an
excurflon to fee the funeral. I chofe rather to lofe that ce-
remony, than to leave the fliips in a fltuation, in which I
did not think them fafe. We continued to ply to windward,
between the two tides, without either gaining or lofing an
inch, till near high water, when, by a favourable flant, we
got into the Eaftern tide’s influence. We expected, there, to
find the ebb to run ftrong to the Eaftward in our favour ;
but it proved fo inconliderable, that, at any other time, it
would not have been noticed. This informed us, that moft
of the water, which flows into the lagoon.) comes from the
North Weft, and returns the fame way. About five in the
afternoon, finding that we could not get to fea before it w as
dark,
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
355
dark, I came to an anchor, under the fliore of Tongataboo, 1777.
in forty-five fathoms water ; and about two cables length .
from the reef, that runs along that fide of the illand. The
Difcovery dropped anchor under our ftern ; but before the
anchor took hold, flie drove off the bank, and did not reco-
ver it till after midnight.
We remained at this ftation, till eleven o’clock, the next Friday u,
day, when we weighed, and plyed to the Eaftward. But it
was ten at night, before we weathered the Eafi: end of the
illand, and were enabled to ftretch away for Middleburg, or
Eooa (as it is called by the inhabitants), where we anchored,
at eight o’clock, the next morning, in forty fathoms water, Saturday 12.
over a bottom of fand, interfperfed with coral rocks ; the
extremes of the illand extending, from North, 40° Eafi, to
South, 22° Weft; the high land of Eooa, South, 45°Eaft;,
and Tongataboo, from North, 70° Weft, to North, 19° Weft ;
diftant about half a mile from the lliore ; being nearly the
fame place where I had my ftation in 1773, then named
by me, 'Englijh Road,
We had no fooner anchored, than Taoofa the Chief, and
feveral other natives, vifited us on board, and feemed to re-
joice much at our arrival. This Taoofa had been my Tayo<f
when I was here, during my laft voyage ; confequently, we
were not ftrangers to each other. In a little time, I went
alhore with him, in fearch of frelli water ; the procuring
of which, was the chief objecft that brought me to Eooa. I
had been told, at Tongataboo, that there was here a ftream,
running from the hills into the fea ; but this was not the
cafe now. I was firft condu6ted to a brackilh fpring, be-
tween low and high water mark, amongft rocks, in the
* In the account of Captain Cook’s former voyage, he calls the only Chief he then
met with, at this place, Tioony. See Vol. i. p. 192.
Z Z 2
cove
356
A VOYAGE TO
>777-
July.
cove where we landed, and where no one would ever have
thought of looking for what we wanted. However, 1 be-
lieve the water of this fpring might be good, were it pof-
hble to take it up before the tide mixes with it. Finding
that we did not like this, our friends took us a little way
into the illand ; where, in a deep chafm, we found very
good water ; which, at the expence of fome time and
trouble, might be conveyed down to the fliore, by means of
fpouts or troughs, that could be made with plantain leaves,
and the Item of the tree. But, rather than to undertake
that tedious tafk, 1 refolved to reft contented with the fupply
the fliips had got at Tongataboo.
Before 1 returned on board, I fet on foot a trade for hogs
and yams. Of the former, we could procure but few ; but,
of the latter, plenty. I put afliore, at this illand, the ram
and two ewes, of the Cape of Good Hope breed of llieep ;
intrufting them to the care of Taoofa, who feemed proud
of his charge. It was fortunate, perhaps, that Mareewa-
gee, to whom I had given them, as before-mentioned,
llighted the prefent. Eooa, not having, as yet, got any dogs
upon it, feems to be a properer place than Tongataboo for
the rearing of flieep.
As we lay at anchor, this ifland bore a very different
afpe6t from any we had lately feen, and formed a moft
beautiful landfcape. It is higher than any we had paffed,
ftnce leaving New Zealand (as Kao may juftly be reckoned
an immenfe rock), and from its top, which is almoft flat,
declines very gently toward the fea. As the other illes, of
this clufter, are level, the eye can difcover nothing but the
trees that cover them ; but here the land, rifing gently up-
ward, prefents us with an extenftve profpecft, where groves
of trees are only interfperfed at irregular diftances, in
beautiful
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
357
beautiful diforder, and the reft covered with grafs. Near 1777.
the fliore, again, it is quite ftiaded with various trees, ^ f
amongft which are the habitations of the natives ; and to
the right of our ftation, was one of the moft^extenftve
groves of cocoa-palms we had ever feen.
The 13th, in the afternoon, a party of us made an excur- Sunday 13.
fton to the higheft part of the illand, which was a little to
the right of our fliips, in order to have a full view of the
country. About half way up, we crofted a deep valley, the
bottom and ftdes of which, though compofed of hardly any
thing but coral rock, were clothed with trees. We were
now about two or three hundred feet above the level of the
fea, and yet, even here, the coral was perforated into all the
holes and inequalities, which ufually diverfify the furface
of this fubftance within the reach of the tide. Indeed, we
found the fame coral, till we began to approach the fum-
mits of the higheft hills ; and, it was remarkable, that
thefe were chiefly compofed of a yeUowifh, foft, fandy
ftone. The foil, there, is, in general, a reddifti clay ; which,
in many places, feemed to be very deep. On the moft ele-
vated part of the whole ifland, we found a round platform,
or mount of earth, fupported by a waU of coral ftones ; to
bring which, to fuch a height, muft have coft much labour.
Our guides told us, that this mount had been ere6ted by
order of their Chief ; and that they, fometimes, met there
to drink kava. They called it Etchee ; by which name, an
ere<ftion, which we had feen at Tongataboo, as already
mentioned, was diftinguiflied. Not many paces from it,
was a fpring of excellent water ; and, about a mile lower
down, a running ftream, which, we were told, found its
way to the fea, when the rains were copious. We alfo met
with.
358
A VOYAGE TO
1777. with water, in many little holes; and, no doubt, great
. . plenty might be found, by digging.
From the elevation, to which we had afcended, we had
a full view of the whole illand, except a part of the South
point. The South Eaft fide, from which the higheft hills,
we were now upon, are not far diftant, rifes with ve. y great
inequalities, immediately from the fea; fo that the plains
and meadow s, of w^hich there are here fome of great extent,
lie all on the North Weft fide; and, as they are adorned
with tufts of trees, intermixed with plantations, they form
a very beautiful landfcape, in every point of view. While
I was furveying this delightful profpecft, I could not help
flattering myfelf with the pleaflng idea, that fome future
navigator may, from the fame ftation, behold thefe mea-
dows flocked with cattle, brought to thefe iflands by the
fliips of England ; and that the completion of this Angle
benevolent purpofe, independently of all other conAdera-
tions, would fufliciently mark to pofterity, that our voyages
had not been ufelefs to the general interefts of humanity.
BeAdes the plants common on the other neighbouring
iflands, we found, on the height, a fpecies of acrojiicumy
melaftoma^ and fern tree ; with a few other ferns and
plants, not common lower down.
Our guides informed us, that all, or moft of the land, on
this ifland, belonged to the great Chiefs of Tongataboo;
and that the inhabitants were only tenants, or vaflals, to
them. Indeed, this feemed to be the cafe at all the other
neighbouring ifles, except Annamooka, where there were
fome Chiefs, who feemed to a6t with fome kind of inde-
pendence. Omai, who was a great favourite wdth Feenou,
and thefe people in general, was tempted with the offer of
being
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
359
being made Chief of this illand, if he would have ftaid 1777.
amongft them ; and it is not clear to me, that he would .
not have been glad to ftay, if the fcheme had met with my
approbation. I own, I did difapprove of it ; but not be-
caufe I thought that Omai would do better for himfelf in
his own native ille.
On returning from my country expedition, we were
informed that a party of the natives had, in the circle
where our people traded, ftruck one of their own country-
men with a club, which laid bare, or, as others faid, frac-
tured his fkull, and then broke his thigh with the fame ;
when our men interpofed. He had no figns of life, when
carried to a neighbouring houfe ; but afterward recovered
a little. On my afking the reafon of fo fevere a treat-
ment, we were informed, that he had been difcovered
in a lituation rather indehcate, with a woman who was
taboo'd. We, however, underftood, that fire was no
otherwife taboo'd., than by belonging to another perfon,
and rather fuperior in rank to her gallant. From this
circumftance, we had an opportunity of obferving, how
thefe people treat fuch infidelities. But the female finner
has, by far, the fmaller fhare of punhhment for her mif-
demeanor ; as they told us, that fhe would only receive a
flight beating.
The next morning, I planted a pine-apple, and fowed Monday 14,
the feeds of melons, and other vegetables in the Chief’s
plantation. I had fome encouragement, indeed, to flatter
myfelf, that my endeavours of this kind would not be
fruitlefs ; for, this day, there was ferved up at my dinner,
a difli of turnips, being the produce of the feeds 1 had left
here during my laft voyage.
I had fixed upon the 15th for failing, till Taoofa prefTed Tuefday ij.
me
36o
A VOYAGE TO
1777. me to flay a day or two longer, to receive a prefent he had
1 . prepared for me. This reafon, and the daily expectation of
feeing fome of our friends from Tongataboo, induced me
to defer my dep^^rture.
Wednef. 16. Accordingly, the next day, I received the Chief’s pre-
fent ; confining of two fmall heaps of yams, and fome fruit,
which feemed to be collected by a kind of contribution,
as at the other ifles. On this occafion, mofl of the people
of the ifland had affembled at the place; and, as we had
experienced on fuch numerous meetings amongfl their
neighbours, gave us not a little trouble to prevent them
from pilfering whatever they could lay their hands upon.
W e were entertained with cudgelling, wreftling, and box-
ing-matches ; and in the latter, both male and female
combatants exhibited. It was intended to have finiflied the
fhew with the bomai^ or night-dance ; but an accident
either put a total flop to it, or, at leaft, prevented any of us
from flaying afliore to fee it. One of my people, walk-
ing a very little way, was furrounded by twenty or thirty
of the natives, who knocked him down, and ftripped him
of every thing he had on his back. On hearing of this,
I immediately feized two canoes, and a large hog; and
infilled on Taoofa’s cauling the clothes to be relfored,
and on the offenders being delivered up to me. The
Chief feemed much concerned at what had happened ;
and forthwith took the neceffary fleps to fatisfy me. This
affair fo alarmed the affembled people, that mofl of them
fled. However, when they found that I took no other
meafures to revenge the infult, they returned. It was not
long before one of the offenders was delivered up to
me, and a fliirt and a pair of trowfers reflored. The re-
mainder of the flolen goods not coming in before night,
I was
$
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
I was under a neceflity of leaving them to go aboard ; for
the fea run fo high, that it was with the greateft difficulty
the boats could get out of the creek with day-light, much
lefs in the dark.
The next morning, I landed again, having provided my-
felf with a prefent for Taoofa, in return for what he had
given me. As it was early, there were but few people at
the landing-place, and thofe few not without their fears.
But on my deliring Omai to affiure them, that we meant no
harm; and, in confirmation of this aflurance, having re-
ftored the canoes, and releafed the offender, whom they had
dehvered up to me, they refumed their ufual gaiety ; and,
prefently, a large circle was formed, in which the Chief,
and all the principal men of the illand, took their places.
The remainder of the clothes were now brought in ; but,
as they had been torn off the man’s back, by pieces, they
were not worth carrying on board. Taoofa, on receiving
my prefent, fliared it with three or four other Chiefs, keep-
ing only a fmall part for himfelf. This prefent exceeded
their expedfation fo greatly, that one of the Chiefs, a vene-
rable old man, told me, that they did not deferve it, con-
fidering how little they had given to me, and the ill treat-
ment one of my people had met with. I remained with
them till they had finiflied their bowl of kava ; and
having then paid for the hog, which I had taken the day
before, returned on board, with Taoofa, and one of
Poulaho’s fervants, by whom I fent, as a parting mark
of my efteem and regard for that Chief, a piece of bar
iron ; being as valuable a prefent as any I could make to
him.
Soon after, we weighed, and with a light breeze at
South Eaft, ftood out to fea ; and then Taoofa, and a
VoL. I. 3 A few
361
1777.
July.
— y ^
Thurfday 17.
A VOYAGE TO
36a
1777. few other natives, that were in the fliip, left ns. On
. . heaving up the anchor, we found, that the cable had
fuffered confiderably by the rocks ; fo that the bottom, in
this road, is not to be depended upon. Belides this, we ex-
perienced, that a prodigious fwell rolls in there from the
South Weft.
We had not been long under fail, before we obferved
a failing canoe coming from Tongataboo, and entering
the creek before which we had anchored. Some hours
after, a fmall canoe, condudled by four men, came off to
us. For, as we had but little wind, we were, ftill, at no
great diftance from the land. Thefe men told us, that
the failing canoe, which we had feen arrive from Ton-
gataboo, had brought orders to the people of Eooa, to
furnifli us with a certain number of hogs ; and that, in
two days, the king, and other Chiefs, would be with us.
They, therefore, deftred we would return to our former
ftation. There was no reafon to doubt the truth of what
thefe men told us. Two of them had actually come from
Tongataboo, in the failing canoe ; and they had no view
in coming off to us, but to give this intelligence. How-
ever, as we were now clear of the land, it was not a
fufficient inducement to bring me back ; efpecially as we
had, already, on board, a ftock of frefli provifions, fuf-
ficient, in all probability, to laft during our paffage to
Otaheite. Befides Taoofa’s prefent, we had got a good
quantity of yams at Eooa, in exchange chiefly for fmall
nails. Our fupply of hogs was alfo confiderably increafed
there ; though, doubtlefs, we fhould have got many more,
if the Chiefs of Tongataboo had been with us, whofe pro-
perty they moftly were. At the approach of night, thefe
men, finding that we would not return, left us ; as alfo
fome
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
363
fome others, who had come oflF in two canoes, with a few 1777.
cocoa-nuts, and fliaddocks, to exchange them for what they
could get ; the eagernefs of thefe people to get into their
pofleflion more of our commodities, inducing them to fol-
low the fliips out to fea, and to continue their intercourfe
with us to the laft moment.
3 A 2
CHAP.
34
A VOYAGE TO
CHAP. X.
Advantages derived from vijiting the Friendly IJlands. — Bejl
Articles for traffic, — Refrejhments that may be procured, —
The Number of the IJlands^ and their Names. — KeppePs
and Bofcawen's IJlands belong to them. — Account of
Vavaoo — of Hamoa — ofFeejee. — Voyages of the Natives in
their Canoes. — Difficulty of procuring exaSi Information. —
Perfons of the Inhabitants of both Sexes. — Their Colour. —
Difeafes. — Their general CharaBer. — Manner of wearing
their Hair-^of punBuring their Bodies. — Their Clothing
and Ornaments. — Perfonal Cleanlinefs .
*777- f A 'HUS we took leave of the Friendly Illands, and their
A inhabitants, after a flay of between two and three
months ; during which time, we lived together in the moft
cordial friendfliip. Some accidental differences, it is true,
now and then happened, owing to their great propenfity to
thieving ; but, too often, encouraged by the negligence of
our own people. But thefe differences were never attended
with any fatal confequences ; to prevent which, all my
meafures were directed ; and, I believe, feAV, on board our
fliips, left our friends here without fome regret. The time,
employed amongft them, was not thrown away. We ex-
pended very little of our fea provifions ; fubfifting, in ge-
neral, upon the produce of the iflands, while we flaid ; and
carrying away with us a quantity of refrefliments fufficient
to
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
365
to laft till our arrival at another flation, Vvhere we could
depend upon a frefli fupply. I was not forry, belides, to
have had an opportunity of bettering the condition of thefe
good people, by leaving the ufeful animals, before-men-
tioned, among them ; and, at the fame time, thofe deligned
for Otaheite, received frefh ftrength in the paftures of Ton-
gataboo. Upon the whole, therefore, the advantages we
received, by touching here, were very great ; and I had the
additional fatisfadlion to refledf, that they were received,
without retarding, one moment, the profecution of the
great objedf of our voyage ; the feafon, for proceeding to the
North, being, as has been already obferved, loft, before I
took the refolution of bearing away for thefe illands.
But, belides the immediate advantages, which both the
natives of the Friendly Illands, and ourfelves, received by
this vilit, future navigators from Europe, if any fuch lliould
ever tread our Heps, will profit by the knowledge I acquired
of the geography of this part of the Pacific Ocean ; and the
more philofophical reader, who loves to view human nature
in new lituations, and to fpeculate on lingular, but faithful
reprefentations of the perfons, the cuftoms, the arts, the
religion, the government, and the language of uncultivated
man, in remote and frefli difcovered quarters of the globe,
will, perhaps, find matter of amufement, if not of inftruc-
tion, in the information which I have been enabled to con-
vey to him, concerning the inhabitants of this Archipelago.
I lliall fufpend my narrative, of the progrefs of the voyage,
while I faithfully relate what I had opportunities of collect-
ing on thefe feveral topics.
We found, by our experience, that the belt articles for
traffic, at thefe illands, are iron tools in general. Axes and
hatchets ; nails, from the largell fpike down to tenpenay
ones;
1777-
July.
L.. — V — j
366
A VOYAGE TO
1777. ones; rafps ; files; and knives, are much fought after.
. Red cloth ; and linen, both white and coloured ; looking-
glaffes, and beads, are alfo in eflimation ; but, of the latter,
thofe that are blue, are preferred to all others ; and white
ones are thought the leaft valuable. A firing of large blue
beads would, at any time, purchafe a hog. But it muft be
obferved, that fuch articles as are merely ornaments, may
be highly efleemed at one time, and not fo at another.
When we firfl arrived at Annamooka, the people there
would hardly take them in exchange even for fruit; but
when Feenou came, this great man fet the fafliion, and
brought them into vogue, till they rofe in their value to
what I have juft mentioned.
In return for the favourite commodities which I have
enumerated, all the refrefliments may be procured that the
iflands produce. Thefe are, hogs, fowls, fifh, yams, bread-
fruit, plantains, cocoa-nuts, fugar-cane, and, in general,
every fuch fupply as can be met with at Otaheite, or any of
the Society Illands. The yams of the Friendly Illands are ex-
cellent, and, w^hen grown to perfe6lion, keep very well at fea.
But their pork, bread-fruit, and plantains, though far from
defpicable, are, neverthelefs, much inferior in quality to the
fame articles at Otaheite, and in its neighbourhood.
Good water, which ftiips, on long voyages, ftand fo much
in need of, is fcarce at thefe iflands. It may be found, it is
true, on them all; but, ftiU, either in too inconfiderable
quantities, or in fituations too inconvenient, to ferve the
purpofes of navigators. However, as the illands afford
plenty of proviftons, and particularly of cocoa-nuts, fliips
may make a tolerable fhift with fuch water as is to be got ;
and if one is not over-nice, there will be no want. While
we lay at anchor, under Kotoo, on our return from Hapaee,
fome
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
367
fome people, from Kao, informed us, that there was a ftream 1777.
of water there, which, pouring down from the mountain, .
runs into the fea, on the South Weft fide of the ifland;
that is, on the lide that faces Toofoa, another illand re-
markable for its height, as alfo for having a confiderable
volcano in it, which, as has been already mentioned, burnt
violently all the time that we were in its neighbourhood. It
may be worth while for future navigators, to attend to this
intelligence about the ftream of water at Kao ; efpecially as
we learned that there was anchorage on that part of the
coaft. The black ftone, of which the natives of the Friendly
Iflands make their hatchets, and other tools, we were in-
formed, is the production of Toofoa.
Under the denomination of Friendly Iflands, we muft in-
clude, not only the group at Hapaee, which I vifited, but
alfo all thofe illands, that have been difcovered nearly
under the fame meridian, to the North, as well as fome
others that have never been feen, hitherto, by any Euro-
pean navigators ; but are under the dominion of Tongata-
boo, which, though not the largeft, is the capital, and feat
of government.
According to the information that we received there, this
Archijrelago is very extenftve. Above' onc^ hundred and
fifty illands were reckoned up to us by the natives, who
made ufe of bits of leaves to afcertain their number ; and
Mr. Anderfon, with his ufual diligence, even procured
all their names. Fifteen of them are faid to be high, or
hilly, fuch as Toofoa, and Eooa; and thirty-five of them
large. Of thefe, only three were feen this voyage ; Hapaee
(which is confidered by the natives as one illand), Ton-
gataboo, and Eooa : of the fize of the unexplored thirty-
two, nothing more can be mentioned, but that they muft
be
363
A VOYAGE TO
1777- be all larger than Annamooka ; which thofe, from whom
i we had our information, ranked amongft the fmaller iiles.
Some, or indeed feveral, of this latter denomination, are
mere fpots, without inhabitants. Sixty-one of thefe illands
have their proper places and names marked upon our chart
of the Friendly Illands, and upon the Iketch of the harbour
of Tongataboo, to both which I refer the reader. But it
muft be left to future navigators, to introduce into the
geography of this part of the South Pacific Ocean, the
exadl fituation and fize of near a hundred more illands in
this neighbourhood, which we had not an opportunity to
explore ; and whofe exiftence we only learnt from the tefti-
mony of our friends, as above-mentioned. On their autho-
rity, the following lift of them was made ; and it may ferve
as a ground-w^ork for farther inveftigation.
Names of the Friendly Ijlands, and others, in that Neigh-
bourhood, mentioned by the Inhabitants of Annamooka,
Hapaee, and I’ongataboo'^K
Koniooefeeva,
Kollalona,
F elongaboonga,
Kovereetoa,
Fonogooeatta,
Modooanoogoo noo
goo,
Tongooa,
Koooa,
Fonooa eeka.
Noogoofaeeou,
Koreemou,
Failemaia,
Koweeka,
Konookoonama,
Kooonoogoo,
Geenageena,
Kowourogoheefo,
Kottejeea,
Kokabba,
Novababoo,
Golabbe,
Vagaeetoo,
Gowakka,
Goofoo,
Mafanna,
Kolloooa,
T abanna,
Motooha,
Looakabba,
* Thofe iflands, which the natives reprefented as large ones, are diftinguiftied in
Italics.
Favaoo,
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
369
Favaoo^
Boloa,
ToofanaetoUo,
Koloa,
Toofagga,
Toofanaelaa,
F afeene.
Loogoobahanga,
Kogoopoloo,
Taoonga,
T aoola.
Havaeeeeke^
Kobakeemotoo,
Maneeneeta,
Tootooeelay
Kongahoonoho,
Fonooaooma,
Manooka,
Komalla,
F onooonneonne,
Lejhaingay
Konoababoo,
Wegaffa,
Pappataiay
Konnetalle,
Fooamotoo,
Loubattay
Komongoraffa,
Fonooalaiee, '
OlOOy
Kotoolooa,
T attahoi.
Fakounovey
Kologobeele,
Latte,
Kopaooy
Kollokolahee,
Neuafo,
Kovooeeay
Matageefaia,
Feejee,
Ko n gair.eekeey
Mallajee,
Oowaia,
Tafeedoowaiay
Mallalahee,
Kongaiarahoiy
Hamoay
Gonoogoolaiee,
Kotoobooo,
Neeootabootaboo
Toonabai,
Komotte,
FotoonUy
Konnevy,
Komoarra^
Vytoobooy
Konnevao,
Kolaiva^
Fotoomay
Moggodoo,
Kofoona^
Foggelaoy
Looamoggo,
Konnagillelaivoo^
Falava.
I have not the leaft doubt, that Prince William’s Illands,
difcovered, and fo named by Tafman, are included in the
foregoing lift. For while we lay at Hapaee, one of the na-
tives told me, that, three or four days fail from thence, to
the North Weft, there was a clufter of fmall iflands, conftft-
ing of upward of forty. This lituation correfponds very well
with that afligned, in the accounts we have of Tafman’s
voyage, to his Prince William’s Illands "’b
* Tafman faw eighteen or twenty of thefe fmall iflands, every one of which was fur-
rounded with fands, fhoals, and rocks. They are alfo called, in fome charts, Heemfkirk’s
VoL. I. - 3 B Banks.
‘777-
July.
V.
V*
J
370
A VOYAGE TO
W e have alfo very good authority to believe, that Kep-
pel’s and Bofcawen’s Illands, two of Captain Wallis’s difco-
veries in 1765, are comprehended in our lift ; and that they
are not only well known to thefe people, but are under the
fame fovereign. The following information feemed to me
deciftve as to this. Upon my inquiring, one day, of Pou-
laho, the king, in what manner the inhabitants of Tongata-
boo had acquired the knowledge of iron, and from what
quarter they had procured a fmall iron tool, which I had
feen amongft them, when I firft viftted their illand, during
my former voyage, he informed me, that they had received
this iron from an illand, which he called Neeootabootaboo.
Carrying my inquiries further, I then defired to know,
whether he had ever been informed, from whom the
people of Neeootabootaboo had got it. I found him per-
fedlly acquainted with its hiftory. He faid, that one of
thofe iflanders fold a club, for five nails, to a fliip which
had touched there; and that thefe five nails afterward
were fent to Tongataboo. He added, that this was the firft
iron known amongft them ; fo that, what Tafman left of
that metal, muft have been worn out, and forgot long ago.
I was very particular in my inquiries about the fituation,
lize, and form of the illand ; exprefling my delire to know
when this fhip had touched there ; how long flie ftaid ;
and whether any more were in company. The leading
fa(fts appeared to be frefli in his memory. He faid, that
there was but one fliip ; that flie did not come to an an-
chor, but left the illand after her boat had been on fliore.
And from many circumftances, which he mentioned, it
could not be many years lince this had happened. Ac-
Banks. See Dalrymple’s Collection of Voyages to the South Pacific Ocean, Vol. ii.
p. 83. 5 and Campbell’s edition of Harris’s, Vol. i. p. 325.
cording
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
371
cording to his information, there are two illands near each
other, which he himfelf had been at. The one he defcribed
as high, and peaked like Kao, and he called it Kootahee ;
the other, where the people of the 111 ip landed, called
Neeootabootaboo, he reprefeiited as much lower. He add-
ed, that the natives of both are the fame fort of people
with thofe of Tongataboo ; built their canoes in the fame
manner ; that their illands had hogs and fowls ; and, in ge-
neral, the fame vegetable produ6lions. The lliip, fo point-
edly referred to in this converfation, could be no other
than the Dolphin; the only fngle fhip from Europe, as
far as we have ever learned, that had touched, of late
years, at any ifland in this part of the Pacific Ocean, prior
to my former vifit of the Friendly Illands
But the molt confiderable illands in this neighbourhood,
that we now heard of (and we heard a great deal about
them), are Hamoa, Vavaoo, and Feejee. Each of thefe was
reprefeiited to us as larger than Tongataboo. No European,
that we know of, has, as yet, feen any one of them. Taf-
man, indeed, lays down in his chart, an illand nearly in
the fituation where I fuppofe Vavaoo to be; that is, about
the latitude of 19° t. But, then, that illand is there marked
as
* See Captain Wallis’s Voyage, in Hawkcfworth’s Colledlion, Vol. i. p. 492 — 494.
Captain Wallis there calls both thefe iflands high ones. But the fuperior height of one of
them may be inferred, from his faying, that it appears like a fugar-loaf. This ftrongly
marks its refemblance to Kao. From comparing Poulaho’s intelligence to Captain
Cook, with Captain Wallis’s account, it feems to be part all doubt, that Bofcawen’s
Ifland is our Kootahee, and Keppel’s Ifland our Neeootabootaboo. The laft is one of
tlie large iflands marked in the foregoing lift. The reader, who has been already apprized
of the variations of our people in writing down what the natives pronounced, will hardly
doubt that Kottejeea and Kootahee are the fame.
+ Neither Dalrymple nor Campbell, in their accounts of Tafman’s voyage, take any
particular notice of his having feen fuch an ifland. The chart here referred to, by Cap-
3 B 2
>777-
July.
372
A VOYAGE TO
1777. as a very fmall one ; whereas Vavaoo, according to the
, . united teftimony of all our friends at Tongataboo, exceeds
the lize of their own ill and, and has high mountains. I
fhould certainly have vihted it ; and have accompanied Fee-
nou from Hapaee, if he had not then difcouraged me, by
reprefenting it to be very inconliderable, and without any
harbour. But Poulaho, the king, afterward alTured me, that
it was a large illand ; and that it not only produced every
thing in common with Tongataboo, but had the peculiar
advantage of polTeffing feveral ftreams of frelli water, with
as good a harbour as that which we found at his capital
ifland. He offered to attend me, if T would vilit it ; adding,
that, if I did not find every thing agreeing with his repre-
fentation, I might kill him. I had not the leaft doubt of
the truth of his intelligence; and was fatisfied that Fee-
nou, from fome interefled view, attempted to deceive
me.
Hamoa, which is alfo under the dominion of Tongataboo,
lies two days fail North Well from Vavaoo. It was defcribed
to me, as the largefl of all their illands ; as affording har-
bours and good water ; and as producing, in abundance,
every article of refrefhment found at the places we vifited.
Poulaho, himfelf, frequently refides there. It fliould feem,
that the people of this illand are in high eflimation at Ton-
gataboo; for we were told, that fome of the fongs and
dances, with which we were entertained, had been copied
from theirs ; and we faw fome houfes, faid to be built after
their falhion. Mr. Anderfon, always inquifitive about fuch
tain Cook, is, probably, Mr. Dalrymple’s, in his Colle£tion of V oyages, where T afman’s
trail is marked accurately j and feveral very fmall fpots of land are laid down in the fitua-
tion here mentioned.
matters.
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
373
matters, learnt the three following words of the dialect of
Hainoa.
'Tamolao *■, a chief man.
I’amaety-i a chief woman.
Solle^ a common man.
Feejee,
* In two or three preceding notes, extradls have been made from the Lettres Edi-
Jiantes et Curieufes, as marking a ftrong refemblance between fome of the cuftoms of the
inhabitants of the Caroline Iflands, and thofe which Captain Cook defcribes as prevail-
ing at an immenfe diftance, in the iflands which he vifited in the South Pacific Ocean.
Poflibly, however, the prefumption, arifing from this refemblance, that all thefe iflands
were peopled by the fame nation, or tribe, may be refilled, under the plaufible pretence,
that cuftoms very fimilar prevail amongft very diftant people, without inferring any other
common fource, befides the general principles of human nature, the fame in all ages, and
every part of the globe. The reader, perhaps, will not think this pretence applicable to
the matter before us, if he attends to the following very obvious diftindlion : Thofe cuf-
toms which have their foundation in wants that are common to the whole human fpecies,
and which are confined to the contrivance of means to relieve thofe wants, may well be
fuppofed to bear a ftrong refemblance, without warranting the conclufion, that they who
ufe them have copied each other, or have derived them from one common fource ; human
fagacity being the fame every where, and tlie means adapted to the relief of any parti-
cular natural want, efpecially in countries fimilarly uncultivated, being but few. Thus
the moll diftant tribes, as widely feparated as the Kamtfchadales are from the Brazilians,
may produce their fire, by rubbing two Hicks upon each other, without giving us the leaft
foundation for fuppofing, that either of them imitated the other, or derived the invention
from a fource of inftrudlion common to both. But this feems not to be the cafe, with
regard to thofe cuftoms to which no general principle of human nature has given birth,
and which have their eftablilhment folely from the endlefs varieties of local whim, and
national falhion. Of this latter kind, thofe cuftoms obvioufly are, that belong both
to the North, and to the South Pacific Iflands, from which we would infer, that they
were originally one nation ; and the men of Mangeea, and the men of the New Philip-
pines, who pay their refpedls to a perfon whom they mean to honour, by rubbing his
hand over their faces, bid fair to have learnt their mode of falutation in the fame fcho<J.
But if this obfervation Ihould not have removed the doubts of the fceptical refiner, pro-
bably he will hardly venture to perfift in denying the identity of race, contended for in the
prefent inftance, when he lhall obferv'e, that, to the proof drawn from affinity of cuftoms,
we have it in our power to add that moll unexceptionable one, drawn from affinity of
language. Tamoloa^ we now know, is the word ufed at Hamoa, one of the Friendly Iflands,
.to fignify a Chief 5 and whoever looks into the LeUres EdifianUs et Curieufes^ will fee, that
this
^777'
July.
374
A VOYAGE TO
1777-
July.
Feejee, as we were told, lies three days fail from Tonga-
taboo, in the dire<fl;ion of North Weft by Weft. It was de-
fcribed to ns as a high, but very fruitful ifland ; abounding
with hogs, dogs, fowls, and all the kinds of fruit and roots
that are found in any of the others ; and as much larger
than Tongataboo; to the dominion of which, as was re-
prefented to us, it is not fubjedl, as the other illands of this
archipelago are. On the contrary, Feejee and Tongataboo
frequently make war upon each other. And it appeared,
from feveral circumftances, that the inhabitants of the lat-
ter are much afraid of this enemy. They ufed to exprefs
their fenfe of their own inferiority to the Feejee men, by
bending the body forward, and covering the face with their
hands. And it is no wonder, that they fliould be under
this dread; for thofe of Feejee are formidable on account
of the dexterity with which they ufe their bows and llings;
but much more fo, on account of the favage practice to
which they are addidfed, like thofe of New Zealand, of
eating their enemies, whom they kill in battle. We were
fatisfied, that this was not a mifreprefentation. For we met
with feveral Feejee people at Tongataboo, and, on inquir-
ing of them, they did not deny the charge.
Now, that I am again led to fpeak of cannibals, let me
afk thofe who maintain, that the want of food firft brings
men to feed on human flefli. What is it that induceth the
Feejee people to keep it up, in the midft of plenty ? This
this is the very name by which the inhabitants of the Caroline Iflands diftinguifti their prin-
cipal men. We have, in two preceding notes, inferted palTages from Father Cantova’s
account of them, where their Tamoles are fpoken of; and he repeats the word at leaft a dozen
times, in the courfe of a few pages. But I cannot avoid tranfcribing, from him, the fol-
lowing very decifive teftimony, which renders any other quotation fuperfluous. “ L’auto-
“ ritie du Gouvernement fe partage entre plufieurs families nobles, dont les Chefs s’ap-
“ pellent Tamoles. II y a outre cela, dans chaque province, un principale Tamole., auquel
“ tous les autres font foumis.” Lettres Edifiantes et Curieufes^ Tom. xv. p. 312.
practice
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
375
pracftice is detelled, very much, by thofe of Tongataboo,
who cidtivate the friendfliip of their favage neighbours of ^
Feejee, apparently out of fear; though they fometimes ven-
ture to Ikirmidi with them, on their own ground; and
carry off red feathers, as their booty, which are in great
plenty there, and, as has been frequently mentioned, are
in great eftimation amongft our Friendly Illanders. When
the two iilands are at peace, the intercourfe between them
feems to be pretty frequent ; though they have, doubtlefs,
been but lately know n to each other ; or we may fuppofe,
that Tongataboo, and its adjoining iflands, would have been
fupplied, before this, with a breed of dogs, which abound
at Feejee, and had not been introduced at Tongataboo, fo
late as 1773, when I firft viiited it. The natives of Feejee,
whom w'e met wdth here, w^ere of a colour that w^as a full
Ihade darker, than that of the inhabitants of the Friendly
Iflands in general. One of them had his left ear flit, and
the lobe was fo diftended, that it almoft reached his
flioulder; which lingularity I had met with at other iflands
of the South Sea, during my fecond voyage. It appeared
to me, that the Feejee men, whom w^e now faw, were much
refpedled here ; not only, perhaps, from the power, and
cruel manner of their nation’s going to war, but, alfo, from
their ingenuity. For they feem to excel the inhabitants of
Tongataboo in that refpedt, if we might judge from feve-
ral fpecimens of their fkill in workmanfhip, which we faw ;
fuch as clubs and fpears, which were carved in a very
mafterly manner ; cloth beautifully chequered ; variegated
mats ; earthen pots ; and fome other articles ; all which
had a call of fuperiority in the execution.
I have mentioned, that Feejee lies three days fail from
Tongataboo, becaufe thefe people have no other method of
meafuring
376
A VOYAGE TO
yj7- meafuring the diftance from ifland to ifland, but by exprelf-
V- ing the time required to make the voyage, in one of their
canoes. In order to afcertain this, with fome precifion, or,
at leaft, to form fome judgment, how far thefe canoes can
fail, in a moderate gale, in any given time, I went on board
one of them, when under fail, and, by feveral trials with
the log, found that flie went feven knots, or miles, in an
hour, clofe hauled, in a gentle gale. From this I judge,
that they will fail, on a medium, with fuch breezes as ge-
nerally blow in their fea, about feven or eight miles in an
hour. But the length of each day is not to be reckoned at
twenty-four hours. For when they fpeak of one day’s fail,
they mean no more than from the morning to the evening
of the fame day ; that is, ten or twelve hours at moft. And
two days fail, with them, hgnifies from the morning of
the firft day, to the evening of the fecond ; and fo for
any other number. of days. In thefe navigations, the fun
is their guide by day, and the Bars by night. When thefe
are obfcured, they have recourfe to the points from whence
the winds and the waves came upon the veffel. If, during
the obfcuration, both the wind and the waves lliould fhift
(which, within the limits of the trade-wind, feldom happens
at any other time), they are then bewildered, frequently
mifs their intended port, and are never heard of more. The
hiftory of Omai’s countrymen, who were driven to Wa-
teeoo, leads us to infer, that thofe not heard of, are not
always loft.
Of all the harbours and anchoring places I have met with
amongft thefe illands, that of Tongataboo is, by far, the
heft ; not only on account of its great fecurity, but of its
capacity, and of the goodnefs of its bottom. The rilk that
we ran, in entering it from the North, ought to be a fuffi-
cient
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
377
cient caution, to every future Commander, not to attempt 1777.
that palTage again with a fliip of burden ; fince the other, . .
by which w'e left it, is fo much more eafy and fafe. To
fail into it, by this Eaftern channel, fteer in for the North
Eaft point of the ill and, and keep along the North lliore,
w'ith the fmall illes on your ftarboard, till you are the length
of the Eaft point of the entrance into the lagoon ; then edge
over for the reef of the fmall illes ; and, on following its
direction, it will condu6t you through between Makkahaa
and Monooafai, or the fourth and fifth illes, which you will
perceive to lie off the Weft point of the lagoon. Or you may
go between the third and fourth illands, that is, between
Pangimodoo and Monooafai ; but this channel is much
narrower than the other. There runs a very ftrong tide in
both. The flood, as I have obferved before, comes in from
the North Weft, and the ebb returns the fame way ; but I
fliall fpeak of the tides in another place. As foon as you
are through either of thefe channels, haul in for the fliore
of Tongataboo, and anchor between it and Pangimodoo,
before a creek leading into the lagoon ; into which boats
can go at half flood.
Although Tongataboo has the bell harbour, Annamooka
furniflies the beft water ; and yet, it cannot be called good.
HoAvever, by digging holes near the fide of the pond, we
can get what may be called tolerable. This ifland, too, is
the beft fituated for drawing refrefliments from all the
others, as being nearly in the centre of the whole group.
Befides the road in w’hich we anchored, and the harbour
within the South Weft point, there is a creek in the reef,
before the Eaftern fandy cove, on the North fide of the
ifland, in which two or three fliips may lie very fecurely,
VoL. I. 3 C by
378
A VOYAGE TO
J777-
July.
V.—
by mooring head and ftern, with their anchors or moorings
faft to the rocks.
I have already defcribed the Hapaee illands ; and lhall
only add to that defcription, by mentioning, that they ex-
tend South Weft by South, and North Eaft by North? about
nineteen miles. The North end lies in the latitude of 19°
39" South, and 33" of longitude to the Eaft of Annamooka.
Between them, are a great many fmall illands, fand-banks,
and breakers ; fo that the fafeft way to arrive at Hapaee, is
either by the courfe I held, or round by the North ; accord^
ing to the fttuation of the fhip bound thither. Lefboga, oft'
which we anchored, is the moft fertile ifle of thofe that are
called Hapaee; and, confequently, is the heft inhabited.
There is anchorage along the North Weft fide of this ifland ;
but it will be necelTary to examine the ground well before
you moor. For, although the lead may bring up fine fand,
there are, neverthelefs, fome lharp coral rocks, that would
foon deftroy the cables.
They who want a more particular defcription of the
Friendly Iflands, muft have recourfe to the chart that we
conftrucfted. There, every thing is delineated with as much
accuracy as circumftances would permit. Recourfe muft,
alfo, be had, to the fame chart, for the better tracing the
feveral ftations of the fhips, and their route from the one
illand to the other. To have fwelled my journal with a
minute account of bearings, tackings, and the like, would
neither have been entertaining nor inftm6live.
What has been here omitted, concerning the geography
of thefe iflands, will be found in the narrative of my
laft voyage To that narrative I muft alfo refer t, for
* Cook’s Voyage, Vol, i. p. 2l l. 213. J- Ibid. p. 213. 225.
fuch
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
379
fuch particulars concerning the inhabitants, their manners, 1777.
and arts, as I had obferved then, and about which I faw no
reafon to change my judgment. At prefent, I lliall confine
myfelf to fuch intereliing particulars, as either were not
mentioned in that narrative, or were imperfectly and incor-
rectly reprefented there ; and to fuch as may ferve to ex-
plain fome pafiages in the foregoing account of our tranf-
aCtions with the natives.
It may, indeed, be expeCted, that, after fpending between
two and three months amongft them, I fliould be enabled
to clear up every difficulty, and to give a tolerably fatisfac-
tory account of their cufloms, opinions, and inftitutions,
both civil and religious ; efpecially as we had a perfon on
board, who might be fuppofed qualified to aCt the part of
an interpreter, by underftanding their language and ours.
But poor Omai was very deficient. For unlefs the objeCl or
thing we wanted to inquire about, was aClually before us,
we found it difficult to gain a tolerable knowledge of it,
from information only, without falling into a hundred
miftakes ; and to fuch miftakes Omai was more liable than
we were. For, having no curiofity, he never gave himfelf
the trouble to make remarks for himfelf ; and, when he
was difpofed to explain matters to us, his ideas appeared to
be fo limited, and, perhaps, fo different from ours, that his
accounts were often fo confufed, as to perplex, inftead of
inftmCting us. Add to this, that it was very rare that we
found, amongft the natives, a perfon, who united the abi-
lity and the inclination to give us the information we
wanted ; and, we found, that moft of them hated to be
troubled with what they, probably, thought idle queftions.
Our fituation at Tongataboo, where we remained the long-
eft, was, likewife, unfavourable. It was in a part of the
3 C 2 country,
38o
A VOYAGE TO
1777. country, where there were few inhabitants, except fifhers.
. It was always holiday with our viliters, as well as with thofe
we vifited ; fo that we had but few opportunities of obferv-
ing, what was really the domeftic way of living of the na-
tives. Under thefe difad vantages, it is not furprizing, that
we fhould not be able to bring away with us fatisfadfory
accounts of many things ; but fome of us endeavoured to
remedy thofe difadvantages, by dihgent obfervation ; and I
am indebted to Mr. Anderfon for a conliderable fliare of
what follows, in this and in the following chapter. In other
matters, I have only exprefled, nearly in his words, remarks
that coincided with mine ; but what relates to the religion
and language of thefe people, is entirely his own.
The natives of the Friendly Iflands feldom exceed the
common ftature (though we have meafured fome, who
w^ere above fix feet) ; but are very flrong, and well made ;
efpeciahy as to their limbs. They are generally broad
about the flioulders ; and though the mufcular difpofition
of the men, which feems a confequence of much adtion,
rather conveys the appearance of ftrength than of beauty,
there are feveral to be feen, who are really handfome.
Their features are very various ; infomuch, that it is
fcarcely poflible to fix on any general likenefs, by which to
characterize them, unlefs it be a fullnefs at the point of the
nofe, which is very common. But, on the other hand, we
met with hundreds of truly European faces, and many ge-
nuine Roman nofes, amongfl; them. Their eyes and teeth
are good ; but the lafl: neither fo remarkably white, nor fo
well fet as is often found amongfl Indian nations ; though,
to balance that, few of them have any uncommon thick-
nefs about the lips, a defeCt as frequent as the other per-
fection.
The
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
381
The women are not fo much diftinguifhed from the men 1777.
by their features as by their general form, which is, for the .
moft part, deftitute of that ftrong flefliy firmnefs that ap-
pears in the latter. Though the features of fome are fo
delicate, as not only to be a true index of their fex, but to
lay claim to a conhderable fhare of beauty and exprelhon,
the rule is, by no means, fo general as in many other coun-
tries. But, at the fame time, this is frequently the moft
exceptionable part ; for the bodies and limbs of moft of the
females are well proportioned ; and fome, abfolutely, per-
fect models of a beautiful figure. But the moft remarkable
diftindtion in the women, is the uncommon fmallnefs and
delicacy of their fingers, which may be put in competition
with the fineft in Europe.
The general colour is a call deeper than the copper
brown ; but fever al of the men and women have a true
olive complexion ; and fome of the laft are even a great
deal fairer ; which is probably the effecft of being lefs ex-
pofed to the fun ; as a tendency to corpulence, in a few of
the principal people, feems to be the confequence of a more
indolent life. It is alfo amongft the laft, that a foft clear
fkin is moft frequently obferved. Amongft the bulk of
the people, the Ikin is, more commonly, of a dull hue, with
fome degree of roughnefs, efpecially the parts that are
not covered ; which, perhaps, may be occafioned by fome
cutaneous difeafe. We faw a man and boy at Hapaee, and
a child at Annamooka, perfe6tly white. Such have been
found amongft all black nations ; but I apprehend that
their colour is rather a difeafe, than a natural phaeno-
menon.
There are, neverthelefs, upon the whole, few natural
defeats or deformities to be found amongft them ; though
w^e
382
A VOYAGE TO
1777.. we faw two or three with their feet bent inward ; and fome
I — / afflicted with a fort of blindnefs, occafioned by a difeafe of
the cornea. Neither are they exempt from fome other dif-
eafes. The mod: common of which is the tetter, or ring-
worm, that feems to affe6l almoft one half of them, and
leaves whitifli ferpentine marks, every where, behind it.
But this is of lefs confequence than another difeafe, which
is very frequent, and appears on every part of the body, in
large broad ulcers with thick white edges, difcharging a
thin, clear matter; fome of which had a very virulent
appearance, particularly thofe on the face, which were
(hocking to look at. And yet we met with fome who
feemed to be cured of it, and others in a fair way of be-
ing cured ; but this was not effedfed without the lofs of
the nofe, or of the heft part of it. As we know for a cer-
tainty (and the fa6l is acknowledged by themfelves), that
the people of thefe illands were fubjedt to this loathfome
difeafe before the Englifli firft viiited them, notwithftand-
ing the (imilarity of fymptoms, it cannot be the effedf of
the venereal contagion ; unlefs we adopt a fuppolition,
which I could whli had fufficient foundation in truth, that
the venereal diforder was not introduced here from Eu-
rope, by our (liips in 1773. It, alfuredly, was now found
to exift amongft them ; for we had not been long there,
before fome of our people received the infedfion ; and I
had the mortification to learn from thence, that all the
care I took, when I firft viiited thefe illands, to prevent this
dreadful difeafe from being communicated to their inha-
bitants, had proved ineffectual. What is extraordinary,
* See Vol. ii. p. 20. of Captain Cook’s Voyage, where he gives a particular account
of meeting with a perfon afflifted with this difeafe, at Annamooka, on his landing there
in 1773.
they
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
383
they do not feem to regard it much ; and as we faw few 1777.
ligns of its dellroying effeils, probably the climate, and the ,
way of living of thefe people, greatly abate its virulence.
There are two other difeafes frequent amongft them ; one
of which is an indolent firm fwelling, which affedfs the legs
and arms, and increafes them to an extraordinary fize in
their whole length. The other is a tumour of the fame
fort, in the tefticles, which fometimes exceed the fize of
the two fills. But, in other refpedls, they may be confidered
as uncommonly healthy ; not a fingle perfon having been
feen, during our ftay, confined to the houfe, by ficknefs of
any kind. On the contrary, their ftrength and adlivity are,
every way, anfwerable to their mufcular appearance ; and
they exert both, in their ufual employment, and in their
diverfions, in fuch a manner, that there can be no doubt of
their being, as yet, little debilitated by the numerous dif-
eafes that are the confequence of indolence, and an unna-
tural method of life.
The graceful air and firm ftep with which thefe people
walk, are not the leafi; obvious proof of their perfonal
accomplifliments. They confider this as a thing fo na-
tural, or fo necelfary to be acquired, that nothing ufed
to excite their laughter fooner, than to fee us frequently
Humbling upon the roots of trees, or other inequalities of
the ground.
Their countenances very remarkably exprefs the abun-
dant mildnefs, or good-nature, which they polfefs ; and are
entirely free from that favage keennefs which marks na-
tions in a barbarous ftate. One would, indeed, be apt to
fancy that they had been bred up under the fevereft re-
ftridlions, to acquire an afpedf fo fettled, and fuch a com-
mand of their paflions, as well as fieadinefs in condu^Sl.
But
3^4
A VOYAGE TO
,777. But they are, at the fame time, frank, cheerful, and good-
, humoured ; though, fometimes, in the prefence of their
Chiefs, they put on a degree of gravity, and fuch a ferious
air as becomes ftiff and awkward, and has an appearance
of referve.
Their peaceable difpohtion is fufficiently evinced, from
the friendly reception all ftrangers have met with, who have
vilited them. Inftead of offering to attack them openly, or
clandelfinely, as has been the cafe with moft of the inha-
bitants of thefe feas, they have never appeared, in the
fmalleft degree, holtile ; but, on the contrary, like the moll
civilized people, have courted an intercourfe with their vi-
liters, by bartering, which is the only medium that unites
all nations in a fort of friendlhip. They underhand barter
(which they call fukkatou) fo perfe6tly, that, at firll, we
imagined they might have acquired this knowledge of it by
commercial intercourfe with the neighbouring illands ; but
we were afterward alfured, that they had little or no traffic,
except with Feejee, from which they get the red feathers,
and the few other articles, mentioned before. Perhaps, no
nation in the world traffic with more honelly and lefs
dillrull. We could always fafely permit them to examine
our goods, and to hand them about, one to another ; and
they put the fame confidence in us. If either party repent-
ed of the bargain, the goods were re-exchanged with mu-
tual confent and good-humour. Upon the whole, they
feem polfelfed of many of the moll excellent qualities that
adorn the human mind ; fuch as indufiry, ingenuity, per-
feverance, affability, and, perhaps, other virtues which our
fliort ftay with them might prevent our obferving.
The only defeff fullying their character, that we know
of, is a propenfity to thieving ; to which, we found, thofe
of
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
385
of all ages, and both fexes, addidled; and to an uncommon 1777.
degree. It fliould, however, he conlidered, that this excep-
tionable part of their condudl feemed to exih merely with
refpedf to ns ; for, in their general intercourfe with one an-
other, I had reafon to be of opinion, that thefts do not
happen more frequently (perhaps lefs fo) than in other
countries, the dillioneft pradfices of whofe worthlefs indi-
viduals are not fuppofed to authorize any indifcriminate
cenfure on the whole body of the people. Great allow-
ances fliould be made for the foibles of thefe poor natives
of the Pacific Ocean, whofe minds we overpowered with
the glare of obje6ls, equally new to them, as they were cap-
tivating. Stealing, amongft the civilized and enlightened
nations of the world, may well be confidered as denoting a
character deeply ftained with moral turpitude, with avarice
unreftrained by the known rules of right, and with profli-
gacy producing extreme indigence, and negle6fing the
means of relieving it. But at the Friendly and other illands
which we vifited, the thefts, fo frequently committed by
the natives, of what we had brought along with us, may
be fairly traced to lefs culpable motives. They feemed
to arife, folely, from an intenfe curiofity or defire to poffefs
fomething which they had not been accuflomed to before,
and belonging to a fort of people fo different from them-
felves. And, perhaps, if it were poflible, that a fet of be--
ings, feemingly as fuperior in our judgment, as we are in
theirs, fliould appear amongfl; us, it might be doubted,
whether our natural regard to juftice would be able to re-
flrain many from falling into the fame error. That I have
affigned the true motive for their propenfity to this pradtice,
appears from their ftealing every thing indifcriminately at
firll fight, before they could have the le aft conception of
VoL. I. 3D converting
386
A VOYAGE TO
1777. converting their prize to any one nreful purpofe. But, I
. believe, with us, no perfon would forfeit his reputation, or
expofe himfelf to punifhment, without knowing, before
hand, how to employ the ftolen goods. Upon the whole,
the pilfering difpolition of thefe iflanders, though certainly
difagreeable and troublefome to ftrangers, was the means
of affording us fome information as to the quicknefs of
their intelledfs. For their fmall thefts were committed with
much dexterity ; and thofe of greater confequence with a
plan or fcheme fuited to the importance of the objedts. An
extraordinary inftance of the laft fort, their attempts to
carry away one of the Difcovery’s anchors, at mid-day,
has been already related.
Their hair is, in general, ftraight, thick, and ftrong;
though a few have it bufhy or frizzled. The natural co-
lour, I believe, almoft without exception, is black ; but the
greateft part of the men, and fome of the women, have it
Ifained of a brown, or purple colour; and a few of an
orange caft. The firft colour is produced by applying a
fort of plafter of burnt coral, mixed with water; the fe-
cond, by the rafpings of a reddifh wood, which is made up
with water into a poultice, and laid over the hair ; and the
third is, I believe, the effedl of turmeric root.
When I firft vifited thefe iflands, I thought it had been
an univerfal cuftom for both men and women to wear the
hair ftiort ; but, during our prefent longer ftay, we faw a
great many exceptions. Indeed, they are fo whimfical in
their faftiions of wearing it, that it is hard to tell which is
moft in vogue. Some have it cut off from one fide of the
head, while that on the other fide remains long ; fome have
only a portion of it cut fhort, or, perhaps, fliaved ; others
have it entirely cut off, except a fingle lock, which is left
commonly
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
387
commonly on one fide ; or, it is fulFered to grow to its full
length, without any of thefe mutilations. The women, in
general, wear it fliort. The men have their beards cut fhort ;
and both men and women ftrip the hair from their arm-
pits. The operation by which this is performed has been
already defcribed. The men are ftained from about the
middle of the belly, to about half way down the thighs,
with a deep blue colour. This is done with a flat bone in-
ftrument, cut full of fine teeth, which, being dipped in the
flaining mixture, prepared from the juice of the dooe dooe, is
ftruck into the fkin with a bit of flick ; and, by that means,
indelible marks are made. In this manner they trace lines
and figures, which, in fome, are very elegant, both from
the variety, and from the arrangement. The women have
only a few fmall lines or fpots, thus imprinted, on the infide
of their hands. Their kings, as a mark of diflin(Slion, are
exempted from this cuflom, as alfo from inflicfling on
themfelves any of thofe bloody marks of mourning, which
fliall be mentioned in another place.
The men are all circumcifed, or rather fupercifed; as
the operation confifls in cutting off only a fmall piece of
the forefkin, at the upper part ; which, by that means, is
rendered incapable, ever after, of covering the glans. This
is all they aim at ; as they fay, the operation is pracflifed
from a notion of cleanlinefs.
The drefs of both men and women is the fame; and
confifls of a piece of cloth or matting (but moflly the
former), about two yards wide, and two and a half long ;
at leafl, fo long as to go once and a half round the waifl,
to which it is confined by a girdle or cord. It is double
before, and hangs down, like a petticoat, as low as the
middle of the leg. The upper part of the garment, above
3 D 2 the
383
A VOYAGE TO
1777. the girdle, is plaited into feveral folds; fo that, when nn-
. , folded, there is cloth fufficient to draw up and wrap round
the llioulders; which is very feldom done. This, as to
form, is the general drefs ; but large pieces of cloth, and
fine matting, are worn only by the fuperior people. The
inferior fort are fatisfied with fmall pieces ; and, very often,
wear nothing but a covering made of leaves of plants, or
the maro^ which is a narrow piece of cloth, or matting, like
a fadi. This they pafs between the thighs, and wrap
round the waift; but the ufe of it is chiefly confined to
the men. In their great haivas, or entertainments, they
have various drefles made for the purpofe ; but the form
is always the fame ; and the richeft drefles are covered,
more or lefs, with red feathers. On what particular occa-
flon their Chiefs wear their large red feather-caps, I could
not learn. Both men and women fometimes fliade their
faces from the fun with little bonnets, made of various
materials.
As the clothing, fo are the ornaments, worn by thofe
of both fexes, the fame. The moft common of thefe are
necklaces, made of the fruit of the pandanus^ and various
fweet-fmelling flowers, which go under the general name
of hahulla. Others are compofed of fmall fir ells, the wing
and leg-bones of birds, fliark’s teeth, and other things ; aU
which hang loofe upon the breaft. In the fame manner,
they often wear a mother-of-pearl fhell, neatly pohflred,
or a ring of the fame fubftance carved, on the upper part
of the arm ; rings of tortoife-fhell on the fingers ; and a
number of thefe, joined together, as bracelets on the
wrifts.
The lobes of the ears (though, moft frequently, only
one) are perforated with two holes,, in which they wear
cylindrical
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
389
cylindrical bits of ivory, about three inches long, intro-
dticed at one hole, and brought out of the other ; or bits ^
of reed of the fame fize, filled with a yellow pigment. This
feems to be a fine powder of turmeric^ with which the wo-
men rub themfelves all over, in the fame manner as our
ladies ufe their dry rouge upon the cheeks.
Nothing appears to give them greater pleafure than per-
fonal cleanlinefs ; to produce which, they frequently bathe
in the ponds, which feem to ferve no other purpofe
Though the water in moft of them ftinks intolerably, they
prefer them to the fea ; and they are fo fenfible that fait
water hurts their fkin, that, when neceflity obliges them to
bathe in the fea, they commonly have fome cocoa-nut fhells,
filled with frefli water, poured over them, to wafli it off.
They are immoderately fond of cocoa-nut oil for the fame
reafon ; a great quantity of which they not only pour upon
their head and fhoulders, but rub the body all over, brifkly,
with a fmaller quantity. And none but thofe who have
feen this pradlice, can eafily conceive how the appearance
of the fkin is improved by it. This oil, however, is not to
be procured by every one ; and the inferior fort of people,
doubtlefs, appear lefs fmooth for want of it.
♦ So at the Caroline Iflands. “ Ils font accoutemes a fe baigner trois fois, le jour, le
matin, a midi, et fur le foir.” Lettres Edifiantes et Curieufes^ Tom. xv. p. 314.
1777.
July.
-V— »
CHAP.
A VOYAGE TO
390
CHAP. XI.
Employments of the IVomen, at the Friendly IJlands. — Of the
Men. — Agriculture. — ConftruBion of their Houfes. — Eheir
working Fools. — Cordage^ andfifoing Implements. — Mufical
Inflruments. — JVeapons. — Food., and Cookery. — Amufe-
ments. — Marriage. — Mourning Ceremonies for the Dead. —
Fheir Divinities . — Notions about the Soul., and a future
State. — Fheir Places of JVorfhip. — Government. — Ma?iner
of paying Obeifance to the King. — Account of the Royal
Family. — Remarks on their Language, and a Specimen of
it. — Nautical, and other Obfervations.
1777-
July.
' I 'HEIR domeftic life is of that middle kind, neither
A fo laborious as to be difagreeable, nor fo vacant as to
fuffer them to degenerate into indolence. Nature has done
fo much for their country, that the firft can hardly occur,
and their difpofition feems to be a pretty good bar to the
laft. By this happy combination of circumftances, their
neceffary labour feems to yield, in its turn, to their recrea-
tions, in fnch a manner, that the latter are never interrupt-
ed by the thoughts of being obliged to recur to the former,
till fatiety makes them wifli for fuch a tranhtion.
The employment of the women is of the eafy kind, and,
for the mod: part, fuch as may be executed in the houfe.
The manufadturing their cloth, is wholly configned to their
care. Having already defcribed the procefs, I fliall only
add, that they have this cloth of different degrees of fine-
nefs.
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
391
nefs. The coarfer fort, of which they make very large
pieces, does not receive the impreffion of any pattern. Of
the finer fort, they have fome that is ftriped, and chequered,
and of other patterns differently coloured. But how thefe
colours are laid on, I cannot fay, as I never faw any of this
fort made. The cloth, in general, will refift water, for
fome time ; but that which has the ftrongeft glaze will re-
fift longeft.
The manufa6ture next in confequence, and alfo within
the department of the women, is that of their mats, which
excel every thing I have feen at any other place, both as
to their texture and their beauty. In particular, many of
them are fo fuperior to thofe made at Otaheite, that they
are not a bad article to carry thither, by way of trade. Of
thefe mats, they have feven or eight different forts, for the
purpofes of wearing or lleeping upon ; and many are merely
ornamental. The laft are chiefly made from the tough,
membraneous part of the ftock of the plantain tree ; thofe
that they wear, from pandanus, cultivated for that pur-
pofe, and never fuffered to fhoot into a trunk ; and the
coarfer fort, which they fleep upon, from a plant called
evarra. There are many other articles of lefs note, that
employ the fpare time of their females ; as combs, of which
they make vaft numbers ; and little balkets made of the
fame fubftance as the mats, and others of the fibrous cocoa-
nut hufk, either plain, or interwoven with fmaU beads ;
but all, finiftied with fuch neatnefs and tafte in the difpofi-
tion of the various parts, that a ftranger cannot help ad-
miring their alfiduity and dexterity.
The province allotted to the men is, as might be expected,
far more laborious and extenfive than that of the women.
Agriculture, architecture, boat-building, fifliing, and other
things
1777-
July.
— 'y—
39^
A VOYAGE TO
1777.
July.
things that relate to navigation, are the objects of their
j care'-'b Cultivated roots and fruits being their principal
fupport, this requires their conftant attention to agricul-
ture, which they purfue very diligently, and feem to have
brought almoft to as great perfedtion as circumftances will
permit. The large extent of the plantain fields has been
taken notice of already ; and the fame may be faid of the
yams ; thefe two together, being, at leaft, as ten to one,
with refpecl: to all the other articles. In planting both
thefe, they dig fmall holes for their reception, and, after-
ward, root up the furrounding grafs, which, in this hot
country, is quickly deprived of its vegetating power, and,
foon rotting, becomes a good manure. The inftruments
they ufe for this purpofe, which they call hooo^ are nothing
more than pickets or ftakes of different lengths, according
to the depth they have to dig. Thefe are flattened and
lharpened to an edge at one end ; and the largefl: have a
fliort piece fixed tranfverfely, for prefling it into the
ground with the foot. With thefe, though they are not
more than from two to four inches broad, they dig and
plant ground of many acres in extent. In planting the
plantains and yams, they obferve fo much exacfinefs, that,
whichever way you look, the rows prefent themfelves re-
gular and complete.
The coco?^-nut and bread-fruit trees are fcattered about
without any order, and feem to give them no trouble, after
* How remarkably does Captain Cook’s account of the employments of the women
and men here, agree with Father Cantova’s, of die Caroline Iflanders? — “La principale
“ occupation des hommes, eft de conftruire des barques, de pecher, et de cultiver la terre.
“ L’affaire des femmes eft de faire la cuifine, et de mettre en oeuvre un efpece de plante
“ fauvage, et un arbre, — pour en faire de la toile.” Lettres Edifiantes et Curicufes.y Tom.
xv. p. 313-
they
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
they have attained a certain height. The fame may be faid 1777.
of another large tree, which produces great numbers of a .
large, roundilh, compreffed nut, called eeefee ; and of a
fmaller tree, that bears a rounded oval nut, two inches long,
with two or three triangular kernels, tough and inlipid,
called mabba^ moft frequently planted near their houfes.
The kappe is, commonly, regularly planted, and in pretty
large fpots ; but the mawhaha is interfperfed amongft other
things, as the jeejee TcvAyams are ; the laft of which, I have
frequently feen in the interfpaces of the plantain trees, at
their common diftance. Sugar-cane is commonly in fmall
fpots, crowded clofely together ; and the mulberry, of
which the cloth is made, though without order, has fufli-
cient room allowed for it, and is kept very clean. The
only other plant, that they cultivate for their manufac-
tures, is the pandanus ; which is generally planted in a
row, clofe together, at the fides of the other fields ; and
they confider it as a thing fo diftincSl in this ftate, that
they have a different name for it ; which fhews, that they
are very fenfible of the great changes brought about by
cultivation.
It is remarkable, that thefe people, who, in many
things, Ihew much tafte and ingenuity, fhould fhew little
of either in building their houfes ; though the defecSl is ra-
ther in the defign, than in the execution. Thofe of the
lower people are poor huts, fcarcely fufficient to defend
them from the weather, and very fmall. Thofe of the
better fort, are larger and more comfortable ; but not what
one might expert. The dimenfions of one of a middling
fize, are about thirty feet long, twenty broad, and twelve
high. Their houfe is, properly fpeaking, a thatched roof
or filed, fupported by polls and rafters, difpofed in a very
VoL. I. 3 E judicious
394
A VOYAGE TO
1777. judicious manner. The floor is raifed with earth fmoothed,
t . and covered with ftrong, thick matting, and kept very-
clean. The moft of them are clofed on the weather flde
(and fome more than two-thirds round), with ftrong mats,
or with branches of the cocoa-nut tree, plaited or woven
into each other. Thefe they fix up edge wife, reaching
from the eaves to the ground ; and thus they anfwer the
purpofe of a wall. A thick, ftrong mat, about two and
one half or three feet broad, bent into the form of a femi-
circle, and fet upon its edge, with the ends touching the
flde of the houfe, in fhape refembling the fender of a Are
hearth, inclofes a fpace for the mafter and miftrefs of the
family to fleep in. The lady, indeed, fpends moft of her
time, during the day,^vithin it. The reft of the family
fleep upon the floor, wherever they pleafe to lie down ; the
unmarried men and women apart from each other. Or,
if the family be large, there are fmall huts adjoining, to
which the fervants retire in the night ; fo that privacy is as
much obferved here, as one could expedl. They have
mats made on purpofe for fleeping on ; and the clothes
that they wear in the day, ferve for their covering in the
night. Their whole furniture conflfts of a howl or two,
in which they make kava ; a few gourds ; cocoa-nut fliells ;
fome fmall wooden ftools, which ferve them for pillows ;
and, perhaps, a large ftool for the Chief, or Mafter, of the
family to fit upon.
The only probable reafon I can alflgn for their negledf of
ornamental architedlure, in the conftrucftion of their houfes,
is their being fond of living much in the open air. Indeed,
they feem to confider their houfes, within which they fel-
dom eat, as of little ufe but to fleep in, and to retire to in
bad weather. And the lower fort of people, who Ipend a
great
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
395
great part of their time in clofe attendance upon the Chiefs, •
can have little ufe for their own houfes, but in the laft
cafe.
They make amends for the defedls of their houfes, by
their great attention to, and dexterity in, naval archi-
tedlure, if I may he allowed to give it that name. But I
refer to the narrative of my laft voyage, for an account of
their canoes, and their manner of building and navigating
them
The only tools which they ufe, to conftrudl thefe boats,
are hatchets, or rather thick adzes, of a fmooth black ftone
that abounds at Toofoa ; augers, made of fli ark’s teeth,
fixed on fmall handles ; and rafps, uf a rough ftcin of a fifh,
faftened on flat pieces of wood, thinner on one fide, which
alfo have handles. The labour and time employed in fi-
nilhing their canoes, which are the moft perfe6l of their
mechanical productions, wiU account for their being very
careful of them. For they are built and preferved under
flieds ; or they cover the decked part of them with cocoa-
leaves, when they are hauled on fhore, to prevent their
being hurt by the fun.
The fame tools are all they have for other works ; if we
except different Ihells, which they ufe as knives. But there
are few of their productions that require thefe, unlefs it be
fome of their weapons ; the other articles being chiefly
their fiftiing materials, and cordage.
The cordage is made from the fibres of the cocoa-nut
hulk, which, though not more than nine or ten inches long,
they plait, about the fize of a quill, or lefs, to any length
* Cook’s Voyage, Vol. i. p. 215, 216. The reader, by comparing that account,
with what Cantova fays of the fea-boats of the Caroline Iflands, will find, in this inftance,
alfo, the greateft fimilarity. See Lettres Edifiantes et Curieufes^ p. 286.
3 E 2
1777-
July.
that
39^
A VOYAGE TO
1777. that they pleafe, and roll it up in balls ; from which the
. larger ropes are made, by twilling feveral of thefe together.
The lines, that they filh with, are as llrong and even as the
bell cord we make, refembling it almoll in every refpe6l.
Their other filhing implements, are large and fmall hooks.
The lall are compofed entirely of pearl-lhell ; but the firll
are only covered with it on the back; and the points of
both, commonly, of tortoife-lhell ; thofe of the fmall be-
ing plain, and the others barbed. With the large ones, they
catch bonnetos and albicores, by putting them to a bamboo
rod, twelve or fourteen feet long, with a hne of the fame
length, which rells in a notch of a piece of wood, fixed in
the Hern of the canoe for that purpofe, and is dragged on
the furface of the fea, as Ihe rowes along, without any
other bait than a tuft of flaxy fluff near the point. They
have alfo great numbers of pretty fmall feines, fome of
which are of a very delicate texture. Thefe they ufe to
catch filh with, in the holes on the reefs, when the tide
ebbs.
The other manual employments, conlifl chiefly in making
mulical reeds, flutes, warlike weapons, and flools, or rather
piUows, to fleep on. The reeds have eight, nine, or ten
pieces placed parallel to each other, but not in any regular
progreflion ; having the longefl, fometimes, in the middle,
and feveral of the fame length ; fo that I have feen none
with more than lix notes ; and they feem incapable of play-
ing any mulic on them, that is diflinguifhable by our ears'^%
The flutes are a joint of bamboo, clofe at both ends, with a
hole near each, and four others ; two of which, and one of
the firll only, are ufed in playing. They apply the thumb
* See a drawing of one of thefe mufical reeds, in Captain Cook’s Voyage, Vol. i.
p. 221. Plate XXI.
of
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
397
of the left hand, to clofe the left noftril, and blow into
the hole at one end, with the other. The middle finger of
the left hand is applied to the firfi: hole on the left, and the
fore-finger of the right, to the loweft hole on that fide.
In this manner, though the notes are only three, they
produce a pleafing, yet fimple, mufic, which they vary
much more than one would think poflible, with fo imper-
fedl an inftrument. Their being accuftomed to a mufic
which confifis of fo few notes, is, perhaps, the re^fon why
they do not feem to relifli any of ours, which is fo com-
plex. But they can tafle what is more deficient than their
own ; for, we obferved, that they ufed to be well pleafed
with hearing the chant of our two young New Zealanders,
which confified rather in mere ftrength, than in melody
of expreflion.
The weapons, which they make, are clubs of different
forts (in the ornamenting of which they fpend much time),
fpears, and darts. They have alfo bows and arrows ; but
thefe feemed to be defigned only for amufement, fuch as
fhooting at birds, and not for military purpofes. The
ftools are about two feet long, but only four or five inches
high, and near four broad, bending downward in the
middle, with four ftrong legs, and circular feet ; the whole
made of one piece of black or brown wood, neatly po-
lifhed, and fometimes inlaid with bits of ivory. They alfo
inlay the handles of fly-flaps with ivory, after being neatly
carved ; and they fhape bones into fmall figures of men,
birds, and other things, which muft be very difficult, as
their carving inftrument is only a fliark’s tooth.
Yams, plantains, and cocoa-nuts, compofe the greateft
part of their vegetable diet. Of their animal food, the chief
articles are hogs, fowls, fifli, and all forts of fhell-fifh ; but
the
398
A VOYAGE TO
1777. the lower people eat rats. The two firft vegetable articles,
. . with bread-fruit, are, what may be called, the balls of
their food, at different times of the year, with fllh and
lliell-fillr ; for hogs, fowls, and turtle, feem only to be
occalional dainties, referved for their Chiefs* The inter-
vals between the feafons of thefe vegetable produ6tions
muft be, fometimes, conhderable, as they prepare a fort of
artificial bread from plantains, which they put under ground
before ripe, and fuffer them to remain till they ferment,
when they are taken out, and made up into fmall balls ;
but fo four and indifferent, that they often faid our bread
was preferable, though fomewhat muffy-
Their food is, generally, dreffed by baking, in the fame
manner as at Otaheite ; and they have the art of making,
from different kinds of fruit, feveral diflies, which moft
of us efleemed very good. . I never faw them make ufe
of any kind of fauce ; nor drink any thing at their meals
but water, or the juice of the cocoa-nut ; for the kava
is only their morning draught. I cannot fay, that they
are cleanly either in their cookery, or manner of eating.
The generality of them will lay their vidluals upon the
firft leaf they meet with, however dirty it may be ; but
when food is ferved up to the Chiefs, it is, commonly,
laid upon green plantain leaves. When the king made a
meal, he was, for the moft part, attended upon by three
or four perfons. One cut large pieces of the joint, or of
the fiflr ; another divided it into mouthfuls ; and others
ftood by wdth cocoa-nuts, and whatever elfe he might
want. I never faw a large company fit down to what w'e
Ihould call a fociable meal, by eating from the fame difli.
The food, be what it will, is always divided into portions,
each to ferve a certain number ; thefe portions are again
fubdivided ;
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
399
fubdivided ; fo that one feldom fees above two or three 1777-
perfons eating together. The women are not excluded . .
from eating with the men ; but there are certain ranks or
orders amongft them, that can neither eat nor drink to-
gether. This diftin6Iion begins with the king ; but where
it ends, I cannot fay.
They feem to have no fet time for meals ; though it
fhould he obferved, that, during our ftay amongft them,
their domeftic ceconomy was much difturbed by their con-
ftant attention to us. As far as we could remark, thofe of
the fuperior rank, only drink kava in the forenoon, and the
others eat, perhaps, a bit of yam ; but we commonly faw
all of them eat fomething in the afternoon. It is probable
that the practice of making a meal in the night is pretty
common, and their reft being thus interrupted, they fre-
quently lleep in the day. They go to bed as foon as it is
dark, and rife with the dawn in the morning
They are very fond of alTociating together ; fo that it is
common to find feveral houfes empty, and the owners of
them convened in fome other one, or, rather, upon a con-
venient fpot in the neighbourhood, where they recreate
themfelves by converfing, and other amufements. Their
private diverfions are chiefly finging, dancing, and mufic
performed by the women. When two or three women fing
in concert, and fnap their fingers, it is called oobat ; but
when there is a greater number, they divide into feveral
parties, each of which fings on a different key, which makes
a very agreeable mufic, and is called heeva^ or haiva. In the
fame manner, they vary the mufic of their flutes, by play-
* Cantova fays of his iflanders, “ Ils prennent leur repos des que le foleil eft couche,
“ et ils fe levent avec I’aurore.” Lettm EdifianUs et Curieufes^ Tom. xv. p. 314.
S
ing
400
A VOYAGE TO
1777. ing on thofe of a different fize ; but their dancing is much
. the fame as when they perform publickly. The dancing
of the men (if it is to be called dancing), although it does
not confift much in moving the feet, as we do, has a thou-
fand different motions with the hands, to which we are
entire flrangers ; and they are performed with an eafe and
grace which are not to be defcribed, nor even conceived,
but by thofe who have feen them. But 1 need add nothing
to what has been already faid on this fubjedf, in the account
of the incidents that happened during our flay at the
illands
* If, to the copious defcriptions that occur in the preceding pages, of the particular
entertainments exhibited in Hapaee and Tongataboo, we add the general view of the
ufual amufements of the inhabitants of thefe iflands, contained in this paragraph, and
compare it with the quotation from the Jefuit’s Letters, in a former note (p. 255.)) we
(hall be ftill more forcibly ftruck with the reafonablenefs of tracing fuch fmgularly re-
fembling cuftoms to one common fource. The argument, in confirmation of this,
drawn from indentity of language, has been already illuftrated, by obferving the remark-
able coincidence of the name, by which the Chiefs at the Caroline Iflands, and thofe at
Hamao, one of the Friendly ones, are diftinguiftied. But the argument does not reft
on a Angle inftance, though that happens to be a very ftriking one. Anotlier of the
very few fpecimens of the dialed! of the North Pacific Iflanders, preferved by father Can-
tova, furnifties an additional proof. Immediately after the paflage above referred to, he
proceeds thus ; “ Ce divertiflement s’appelle, en leur langue, tanger ifaifil ; qui veut dire,
“ la plainte des femmes.” Lettres Edifiantes et Curieufes^ Tom. xv. p. 315* Now it is
very remarkable, that we learn from Mr. Anderfon’s colledlion of words, which will
appear in this chapter, that la plainte des femmes^ or, in Englifti, the 7nournful fang of the
women^ which the inhabitants of the Caroline Iflands exprefs in their language tanger
ifaifil^ would, by thofe of Tongataboo, be expreflfed tangee vefaine.
If any one ftiould ftill doubt, in fpite of this evidence, it may be recommended to his
confideration, that long feparation, and other caufes, have introduced greater variations
in the mode of pronouncing thefe two words, at places confefledly inhabited by the fame
race, than fubfift in the fpecimen juft given. It appears, from Mr. Anderfon’s voca-
bulary, printed in Captain Cook’s fecond voyage, that what is pronounced tangee at the
Friendly Iflands, is taee at Otaheite 5 and the vefaine of the former, is the waheine of the
latter.
Whether
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
401
Whether their marriages be made lafting by any kind 1777.
of folemn contract, we could not determine with precifion ; .
but it is certain, that the bulk of the people fatisfied them-
felves with one wife. The Chiefs, however, have, com-
monly, feveral women ; though fome of us were of opi-
nion, that there was only one that was looked upon as the
milfrefs of the family.
As female chaftity, at firft light, feemed to be held in
no great eftimation, we expedled to have found frequent
breaches of their conjugal fidelity ; but we did them great
injuftice. I do not know that a fingle inftance happened
during our whole fiiay t. Neither are thofe of the better
fort, that are unmarried, more free of their favours. It is
true, there was no want of thofe of a different charadter ;
and, perhaps, fuch are more frequently met with here, in
proportion to the number of people, than in many other
countries. But it appeared to me, that the moft, if not all
of them, were of the lowefi: clafs ; and fuch of them as per-
mitted familiarities to our people, were proftitutes by pro-
fellion.
Nothing can be a greater proof of the humanity of thefe
people, than the concern they fhew for the dead |. To ufe
a common expreflion, their mourning is not in words but
deeds. For, befides the tooge mentioned before, and burnt
circles and fears, they beat the teeth with ftones, ftrike a
* Cantova fays of his Caroline iilanders, “ La pluralite des femmes eft non feulement
“ permife a tons ces infulaires, elle eft encore une marque d’honneur et de diftinftion.
“ Le Tamole de I’ifle d’Huogoleu en a neuf.” Lettres Edijiantes et Curieufes.y Tom. xv.
p. 310.
t At the Caroline Iflands, “ Ils ont horreur de I’adultere, comme d’une grand
“ peche.” Ibid. Tom. xv. p. 310.
How die inhabitants of the Caroline Iflands exprefs their grief on fuch occafions,
may be feen, Ibid, Tom. xv. p. 308.
VoL. I. 3 F fliark’s
402
A VOYAGE TO
1777-
July.
fliark’s tooth into the head until the blood flows in ftreams,
and thruft fpears into the inner part of the thigh, into their
fldes below the arm-pits, and through the cheeks into the
mouth. All thefe operations convey an idea of fuch ri-
gorous difcipline, as muft require either an uncommon
degree of affection, or the grofleft fuperftition, to exa6l.
I will not fay, that the laft has no fliare in it ; for, fome-
times, it is fo univerfal, that many could not have any
knowledge of the perfon for whom the concern is ex-
prefled. Thus we faw the people of Tongataboo mourn-
ing the death of a Chief at Vavaoo; and other fimilar
inflances occurred during our flay. It fliould be obferved,
however, that the more painful operations are only prac-
tifed on account of the death of thofe moft nearly con-
ne61ed with the mourners. When a perfon dies, he is
buried, after being wrapped up in mats and cloth, much
after our manner. The Chiefs feem to havd the Jiatookas
appropriated to them as their burial-places ; but the com-
mon people are interred in no particular fpot^^^ What
part of the mourning ceremony follows, immediately after,
is uncertain ; but, that there is fomething belides the ge-
neral one, which is continued for a confiderable length
of time, we could infer, from being informed, that the
funeral of Mareewagee’s wife, as mentioned before, was to
be attended with ceremonies that were to laft five days ;
and in which all the principal people were to commemo-
rate her.
* Cantova’s account of the praftice of the Caroline Iflands is as follows : “ Lorfqu’il
“ meurt quelque perfonne d’un rang diftingue, ou qui leur eft chere par d’autres endroits,
“ fes obfeques fe font av^c pompe. II y en a qui renferment le corps du defundl dans
“ un petit edifice de pierre, qu’ils gardent au-dedans de leur maifons. D’autres les
“ enterrent loin de leurs habitations.” Lettres Edifiantes et Curieujes^ Tom. xv.
p. 308, 309.
Their
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
403
Their long and general mourning, proves that they con- 177
lidel’ death as a very great evil. And this is confirmed by ,
a very odd cuftom which they pra6tife to avert it. When I
firfi; vifited thefe iflands, during my lafi; voyage, I obferved
that many of the inhabitants had one or both of their little
fingers cut off ; and we could not then receive any fatisfac-
tory account of the reafon of this mutilation But we
now learned, that this operation is performed when they
labour under fome grievous difeafe, and think themfelves
in danger of dying. They fuppofe, that the Deity will ac-
cept of the little finger, as a fort of facrifice efficacious
enough to procure the recovery of their health. They cut
it off with one of their ftone hatchets. There was fcarcely
one in ten of them whom we did not find thus mutilated,
in one or both hands; which has a difagreeable effecff;
efpecially as they fometimes cut fo clofe, that they encroach
upon the bone of the hand which joins to the amputated
finger f.
From the rigid feverity with which fome of thefe mourn-
ing and religious ceremonies are executed, one would ex-
pert to find, that they meant thereby to fecure to them-
felves felicity beyond the grave ; but their principal obje6t
relates to things merely temporal. For they feem to have
little conception of future punifhment for faults com-
mitted in this fife. They believe, however, that they are
juffly punifhed upon earth ; and, confequently, ufe every
method to render their divinities propitious. The Supreme
Author of moft things they call Kallafootonga ; who, they
* See Cook’s Voyage, Vol. i. p. 222.
t It may be proper to mention here, on the authority of Captain King, that it is com-
mon for the inferior people to cut off a joint of their little finger, on account of the fick-
ncfs of the Chiefs to whom they belong.
3 F 2
404 A V O Y A G E T O
1777. fay, is a female, reliding in the fky, and directing the
. thunder, wind, rain ; and, in general, all the changes of
weather. They believe, that when fhe is angry with
them, the produdtions of the earth are blafted ; that many
things are deftroyed by lightning ; and that they them-
felves are afflidted with ficknefs and death, as well as their
hogs and other animals. When this anger abates, they
fuppofe that every thing is reftored to its natural order;
and it fliould feem, that they have a great reliance on the
efficacy of their endeavours to appeafe their offended di-
vinity. They alfo admit a plurality of deities, though
all inferior to Kallafootonga. Amongff them, they men-
tion Toofooa-boolootoo, God of the clouds and fog; Talk-
teboo, and fome others, refiding in the heavens. The firft
in rank and power, who has the government of the fea,
and its produdtions, is called Futtafaibe, or, as it was fome-
times pronounced, Footafooa ; who, they fay, is a male,
and has for his wife Fykava kajeea : and here, as in hea-
ven, there are feveral inferior potentates, fuch as Vahaa
fonooa^ Tareeava, Mat tab a, Evaroo, and others. The fame
religious fyflem, however, does not extend all over the
duller of the Friendly Hies ; for the fupreme God of
Hapaee, for inftance, is called Alo Alo ; and other illes have
two or three, of different names. But their notions of the
power, and other attributes of thefe beings, are fo very
abfurd, that they fuppofe they have no farther concern
with them after death.
They have, however, very proper fentiments about the
immateriality and the immortality of the foul. They call
it life, the living principle, or, what is more agreeable to
their notions of it, an Otooa ; that is, a divinity, or invilible
being. They fay, that immediately upon death, the fouls
of
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
405
of their Chiefs feparate from their bodies, and go to a place 1777.
called JBoolootoo; the Chief, or god, of which, is Gooleho. . .
This Gooleho feems to be a perfonification of death ; for they
nfed to fay to us, “ You, and the men of Feejee (by this
“ junction meaning to pay a compliment, expreffive of
“ their confeflion of our fuperiority over themfelves), are
“ alfo fubjedl to the power and dominion of Gooleho T His
country, the general receptacle of the dead, according to
their mythology, was never feen by any perfon ; and yet,
it feems, they know that it lies to the Weft ward of Feejee ;
and that they who are once tranfported thither, live for
ever; or, to ufc their own expreflion, are not fubjecft to
death again ; but feaft upon all the favourite products of
their own country, with which this everlafting abode is
fuppofed to abound. As to the fouls of the lower fort of
people, they undergo a fort of tranfmigration ; or, as they
fay, are eat by a bird called loata^ which walks upon their
graves for that purpofe.
I think I may venture to alfert, that they do not worfliip
any thing that is the work of their own hands, or any vi-
fible part of the creation. They do not make offerings of
hogs, dogs, and fruit, as at Otaheite, unlefs it be emblem-
atically; for their morals were perfedlly free from every
thing of the kind. But that they offer real human facri-
fices, is, with me, beyond a doubt. Their morals^ or Jiatookas
(for they are called by both names, but moftly by the
latter), are, as at Otaheite, and many other parts of the
world, burying-grounds, and places of worfliip; though
fome of them feemed to be only appropriated to the firft
purpofe ; but thefe were fmall, and, in every other refpedf,
inferior to the others.
Of the nature of their government, we know no more than
the
4o6
A VOYAGE TO
1777. the general outline. A fubordination is eftabliflied among
. . them, that refembles the feudal fyftem of our progenitors
in Europe. But of its fubdivifions, of the conftituent parts,
and in what manner they are conne(fled, fo as to form a
' body politic, I confefs myfelf totally ignorant. Some of
them told us, that the power of the king is unlimited, and
that the life and property of the fubje6t is at his difpofal.
But the few circumftances that fell under our obfervation,
rather contradidled than confirmed the idea of a defpotic
government. Mareewagee, old Toobou, and Feenou, acSled
each like petty fovereigns, and frequently thwarted the mea-
fures of the king ; of which he often complained. Neither
was his court more fplendid than thofe of the two firft , who
are the moft powerful Chiefs in the iflands ; and, next to
them, Feenou, Mareewagee’s fon, feemed to hand higheft
in authority. But, however independent on the defpotic
power of the king the great men may be, we faw inftances
enough to prove, that the lower order of people have no
property, nor fafety for their perfons, but at the wiU of the
Chiefs to whom they refpecStively belong.
Tongatahoo is divided into many difi:ri61:s; of above thirty
of which we learned the names. Each of thefe has its par-
ticular Chief, who decides difihrences, and difiributes jufiice
within his own diftricfi;. But we could not form any fatis-
fadtory judgment about the extent of their power in gene-
ral, or their mode of proportioning punifiiments to crimes.
Moll: of thefe Chiefs have pofiefiions in other illands, from
whence they draw fupplies. At leafi, we know this is fo
with refpe6t to the king, who, at certain eftablifhed times,
receives the product of his difiant domains at Tongatahoo;
which is not only the principal place of his refidence, hut,
feemingiy, of all the people of confequence amongfi: thefe
illes.
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
407
ifles. Its inhabitants, in common converfation, call it the , 1777.
Land of Chiefs ; while the fubordinate ifles are diftinguifh- ,
ed by the appellation of Lands of Servants.
Thefe Chiefs are, by the people, ftyled not only Lords of
the Earth, but of the Sun and Sky ; and the king’s family
alTume the name of Futtafaihe, from the God fo called, who
is probably their tutelary patron, and perhaps their com-
mon ancellor. The fovereign’s peculiar earthly title is,
however, limply I’ooee "Tonga.
There is a decorum obferved in the prefence of their
principal men, and particularly of their king, that is truly
admirable. Whenever he fits down, whether it be in an
houfe, or without, all the attendants feat themfelves, at the
fame time, in a femicircle before him; leaving always a
convenient fpace between him and them, into which no
one attempts to come, unlefs he has fome particular buli-
nefs. Neither is any one allowed to pafs, or lit, behind him,
nor even near him, without his order or permillion ; fo that
our having been indulged with this privilege, was a ligni-
licant proof of the great refpe<St that was paid us. When
any one wants to fpeak with the king, he advances and lits
down before him ; delivers what he has to fay in a few
words ; and, having received his anfwer, retires again to
the circle. But if the king fpeaks to any one, that perfon
anfwers from his feat, unlefs he is to receive fome order; in
which cafe he gets up from his place, and lits down before
the Chief with his legs acrofs ; which is a polture to which
they are fo much accuftomed, that any other mode of fit-
ting is difagreeable to them To fpeak to the king Hand-
ing, would be accounted here as a llriking mark of rudenefs,
* This is peculiar to the men ; the women always fitting with both legs thrown a
little on one Ade. We owe this remark to Captain King.
as
A VOYAGE TO
408
1777. as it would be, with us, for one to fit down and put on his
> '•^"1^' . hat, when he addrelTes himfelf to his fuperior, and that
fuperior on his feet, and uncovered.
It does not, indeed, appear, that any of the moft civil-
ized nations, have ever exceeded this people, in the great
order obferved, on all occafions ; in ready compliance with
the commands of their Chiefs ; and in the harmony that
fubfifts throughout all ranks, and unites them, as if they
were all one man, informed with, and dire<£l:ed by, the fame
principle. Such a behaviour is remarkably obvious, when-
ever it is requifite that their Chiefs flrould harangue any
body of them coUedted together, which is frequently done.
The moft profound filence and attention is obferved during
the harangue, even to a much greater degree than is prac-
tifed amongft us, on the moft interefting and ferious deli-
berations of our moft refpecftable aflemblies. And, what-
ever might have been the fubje6t of the fpeech delivered,
we never faw an inftance, when any individual prefent,
fliewed ftgns of his being difpleafed, or that indicated the
leaft inclination to difpute the declared will of a perfon who
had a right to command. Nay, fuch is the force of thefe
verbal laws, as I may call them, that I have feen one of
their Chiefs exprefs his being aftoniflied, at a perfon’s bav-
in adled contrary to fuch orders ; though it appeared, that
the poor man could not poflibly have been informed, in
time, to have obferved them
Though fome of the more potent Chiefs my vie with the
king in point of actual pofleflions, they fall very fhort in
rank, and in certain marks of refpe(ft, which the colleftive
* Cantova gives us the fame account of the profound fubmillion of the Caroline Ifland-
ers, to the orders of the Tamale. “ Ils re^oivent fes ordres avec le plus profond refpedl.
“ Ses paroles fopt autant d’oraoles, qu’on revere.” Lettres Edifiantes ft Curieufes^ 7'ojn. xv.
p. 312.
body
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
409
body have agreed to pay the monarch. It is a particular
privilege annexed to his fovereignty, not to be pun61;ured,
nor circumcifed, as all his fubje6ts ’ are. Whenever he
walks out, every one whom he meets muft lit down till he
has paired. No one is allowed to be over his head ; on the
contrary, all mull come under his feet ; for there cannot
be a greater outward mark of fubmillion, than that which
is paid to the fovereign, and other great people of thefe
illands, by their inferiors. The method is this ; the perfon
who is to pay obeifance, fquats down before the Chief,
and bows the head to the foie of his foot ; which, when he
lits, is fo placed, that it can be ealily come at ; and, having
tapped, or touched it with the under and upper lide of the
fingers of both hands, he rifes up, and retires. It fliould
feem, that the king cannot refufe any one who choofes to
pay him this homage, which is called moe moea ; for the
common people would frequently take it into their heads to
do it when he w'as walking ; and he was alw ays obliged to
Hop, and hold up one of his feet behind him, till they had
performed the ceremony. This, to a heavy unwieldy man,
like Poulaho, mull be attended with fome trouble and pain ;
and I have, fometimes, feen him make a run, though very
unable, to get out of the way, or to reach a place where he
might conveniently lit down. The hands, after this appli-
cation of them to the Chief’s feet, are, in fome cafes, ren-
dered ufelefs for a time ; for, until they be wallied, they
mull not touch any kind of food. This interdi6lion, in a
country where water is fo fcarce, w^ould feem to be attend-
ed with fome inconvenience ; but they are never at a lofs
for a fuccedaneum ; and a piece of any juicy plant, which
they can eafdy procure immediately, being rubbed upon
them, this ferves for the purpofe of purification, as well as
VoL. I. 3 G walliing
1777-
July.
410
A VOYAGE TO
1777. wafliing them with water. When the hands are in this ftate,
. they call it taboo rema. ^aboo, in general, llgnifies forbid-
den ; and rema is their word for hand.
When the taboo is incurred, by paying obeifance to a great
perfonage, it is thus eafily wailied off. But, in fome other
cafes, it muft neceffarily continue for a certain time. We
have frequently feen women, who have been taboo rema^ fed
by others. At the expiration of the time, the interdidled
perfon wadies herfelf in one of their baths, which are dirty
holes, for the mod part, of brackifh water. She then waits
upon the king, and, after making her obeifance in the ufual
way, lays hold of his foot and applies it to her bread,
fhoulders, and other parts of her body. He then embraces
her on each dioulder ; after which die retires, purided from
her uncleannefs. I do not know that it is always necedary
to come to the king for this purpofe ; though Omai adured
me it was. If this be fo, it may be one reafon why he is,
for the mod part, travelling from idand to idand. I faw
this ceremony performed, by him, two or three times ; and
once by Feenou, to one of his own women; but as Omai
was not then with me, I could not alk the occadon.
‘TaboOy as I have before obferved, is a word of an extendve
dgnideation. Human facridces are called tangata taboo ; and
when any thing is forbidden to be eat, or made ufe of, they
fay, that it is taboo. They tell us, that, if the king diould
happen to go into a houfe belonging to a fubjedl, that
houfe would be taboo^ and could never more be inhabited by
the owner ; fo that, wherever he travels, there are particu-
lar houfes for his reception. Old Toobou, at this time,
predded over the taboo ; that is, if Omai comprehended the
matter rightly, he and his deputies infpe6led all the pro-
duce of the idand ; taking care that every man fhould cul-
tivate
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
411
tivate and plant his quota ; and ordering what fliould be
eat, and what not. By this wife regulation, they efFe<51;ually
guard againft a famine ; a fufficient quantity of ground is
employed in railing provifions ; and every article, thus
raifed, is fecured from unnecelfary wafte.
By another prudent regulation, in their government,
they have an officer over the police ; or fomething like it.
This department, wffien we were amongft them, was admi-
nillered by Feenou ; whofe bufinefs, we were told, it was, to
puniffi all offenders, whether againft the ftate, or againft in-
dividuals. He was alfo Generaliffimo, and commanded the
warriors, when called out upon fervice ; but, by all ac-
counts, this is very feldom. The king, frequently, took
fome pains to inform us of Feenou’s office; and, among
other things, told us, that if he himfelf ffiould become a bad
man, Feenou would kill him. What I underllood, by this
expreffion of being a bad man, was, that, if he did not go-
vern according to law, or cuftom, Feenou would be ordered,
by the other great men, or by the people at large, to put
him to death. There ffiould feem to be no doubt, that a
Sovereign, thus liable to be controuled, and puniffied for an
abufe of power, cannot be called a defpotic monarch.
When we conhder the number of illands that compofe
this httle ftate, and the diftance at which fome of them lie
from the feat of government, attempts to throw off the
yoke, and to acquire independency, it ffiould feem, might
be apprehended. But they tell us, that this never happens.
One reafon why they are not thus difturbed, by domeftic
quarrels, may be this : That all the powerful Chiefs, as we
have already mentioned, reftde at Tongataboo. They alfo
fecure the dependence of the other iflands, by the celerity
of their operations ; for if, at any time, a troublefome and
3 G 2 popular
41^
A VOYAGE TO
1777. popular man iliould ftart up, in any of them, Feenou, or
, . Avhoever holds his office, is immediately difpatched thither
to kill him. By this means, they cruffi a rebellion in its
very infancy.
The orders, or daffies, amongft their Chiefs, or thofe who
call themfelves fuch, feemed to be almoft as numerous as
amongft us; but there are few, in comparifon^ that are
lords of large diftrids of territory ; the reft holding their
lands under thofe principal barons, as they may be called.
I was, indeed, told, that when a man of property dies,
every thing he leaves behind him falls to the king; but that
it is ufual to give it to the eldeft fon of the deceafed, with
an obligation to make a pruvifion, out of it, for the reft of
the children. It is not the cuftom here, as at Otaheite, for •
the fon, the moment he is born, to take from the father the
homage and title ; but he fucceeds to them, at his deceafe ;
fo that their form of government is not only monarchical,
but hereditary.
The order of fucceffion to the crown, has not been of late
interrupted ; for we know, from a particular circumftance,
that the Futtafaihes (Poulaho being only an addition, to dif-
tinguifli the king from the reft of the family) have reign-
ed, in a dired line, for, at leaft, one hundred and thirty-five
years. Upon inquiring, whether any account had been
preferved amongft them, of the arrival of Tafinan’s ffiips,
we found, that this hiftory had been handed down to them,
from their anceftors, with an accuracy which marks, that
oral tradition may fometimes be depended upon. For they
defcribed the two fliips, as refembling ours ; mentioning
the place where they had anchored ; their having ft aid but
a few days ; and their moving from that ftation to Anna-
mooka. And, by way of informing us how long ago this
had
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
413
had happened, they told us the name of the Futtafaihe who
was then king, and of thofe who had fucceeded, down to ^
Poulaho, who is the fifth fince that period ; the firfi: being
an old man, at the time of the arrival of the fhips.
From what has been faid of the prefent king, it would be
natural to fuppofe, that he had the higheft rank of any per-
fon in the iflands. But, to our great furpri^e, we found it
is not fo; for Latoolibooloo, the perfon who was pointed out
to me as king, when I firfi: vifited Tongataboo, and three
women, are, in fome refpe6ts, fuperior to Poulaho himfelf.
On our inquiring, who thefe extraordinary perfonages were,
whom they difi:inguifh by the name and title of T’ammaha'-^^'t
we were told, that the late king, Poulaho’s father, had a
filler of equal rank, and elder than himfelf; that fire, by a
man who came from the ifland of Feejee, had a fon and
two daughters ; and that thefe three perfons, as well as
their mother, rank above Futtafaihe the king. We endea-
voured, in vain, to trace the reafon of this fingular pre-
eminence of the T^ammahas'^ for we could learn nothing
befides this account of their pedigree. The mother, and
one of the daughters, called Tooeela-kaipa, live at Vavaoo.
Latoolibooloo, the fon, and the other daughter, whofe name
is Moungoula-kaipa, refide at Tongataboo. The latter, is
the woman who is mentioned to have dined with me on the
21ft: of June. This gave occafion to our difcovering her fu-
periority over the king, who would not eat in her prefence,
though fhe made no fcruple to do fo before him, and re-
ceived from him the cuftomary obeifance, by touching her
foot. We never had an opportunity of feeing him pay this
* The reader need not be reminded that Tamoha^ which fignifies a Chief, in the dia-
led of Hamao, and Tummaha^ become the fame word, by the change of a fingle letter, the
articulation of which is not very ftrongly marked.
1777.
July-
'
mark
414
A VOYAGE TO
1777. mark of refpecft to Latoolibooloo ; but we have obferved
t . him leave off eating, and have his victuals put afide, when
the latter came into the fame houfe. Latoolibooloo affumed
the privilege of taking any thing from the people, even if
it belonged to the king ; and yet, in the ceremony called
Natcbe, he affiiled only in the fame manner as the other
principal men. He was looked upon, by his countrymen,
as a madman ; and many of his adlions feemed to confirm
this judgment. At Eooa, they fliewed me a good deal of
land, faid to belong to him ; and I faw there a fon of his,
a child, whom they diftinguiflied by the fame title as his
father. The fon of the greateft: Prince in Europe could
not be more humoured and carefied than this little T am-
maha was.
The language of the Friendly Iflands, has the greateft
affinity imaginable to that of New Zealand, of Wateeoo,
and Mangeea ; and, confequently, to that of Otaheite, and
the Society lllands. There are alfo many of their words
the fame with thofe ufed by the natives of Cocos Illand, as
appears from the vocabulary collected there by Le Maire
and Schouten The mode of pronunciation differs, indeed,
confiderably, in many inftances, from that both of New
* See this vocabulary, at tlie end of Vol. ii. of Dalrymple’s Colle£lion of Voyages.
And yet, though Tafman’s people ufed the words of this vocabulary, in fpeaking to
the natives of Tongataboo (his Amfterdam), we are told, in the accounts of his voyage,
that they did not underftand one another. A circumllance worth obferving, as it
fhews how cautious we fhould be, upon the fcanty evidence afforded by fuch tranfient
vifits as Tafman’s, and, indeed, as thofe of moft of the fubfequent navigators of the Pa-
cific Ocean, to found any argument about the affinity, or want of affinity, of the languages
of the different iflands. No one, now, will venture to fay, that a Cocos man, and one
of Tongataboo, could not underftand each other. Some of the words of Horn Ifland,
another of Schouten’s difcoveries, alfo belong to the dialeil of T ongataboo. See Dal-
rymple^ as above.
Zealand,
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
415
Zealand, and Otaheite ; but, Hill, a great number of words
are either exadlly the fame, or fo little changed, that their
common original may be fatisfadlorily traced. The lan-
guage, as fpoken at the Friendly I Hands, is fufhciently co-
pious, for all the ideas of the people ; and we had many
proofs of its being ealily adapted to all mulical purpofes,
both in fong and in recitative ; befides being harmonious
enough in common converfation. Its component parts, as
far as our fcanty acquaintance with it enabled us to judge,
are not numerous ; and, in fome of its rules, it agrees
with other known languages. As, for inftance, we could
ealily difcern the feveral degrees of comparifon, as ufed
in the Latin ; but none of the infie6lions of nouns and
verbs.
We were able to coUedf feveral hundreds of the words ;
and, amongft thefe, are terms that exprefs numbers as far
as a hundred thoufand ; beyond which they never would
reckon. It is probable, indeed, that they are not able to go
farther ; for, after having got thus far, we obferved, that
they commonly ufed a word which exprelfes an indefinite
number. A fliort fpecimen, felecTed from the larger voca-
bulary, is here inferted, with the correfponding words, of
the fame fignification, as ufed at Otaheite, on the oppofite
column ; which, while it will give, as we may fay, ocular
demonftration of their being dialects of the fame language,
will, at the fame time, point out the particular letters, by
the infertion, omiflion, or alteration of "vt^hich, the varia-
tions of the two dialects, from each other, have been
elFed;ed.
It mull be obferved, however, that our vocabularies, of
this fort, muft necelTarily be liable to great miftakes. The
ideas of thofe, from whom we were to learn the words,
>777-
July.
were
A VOYAGE TO
were fo different from ours, that it was difficult to fix them
to the objech of inquiry. Or, if this could be obtained, to
learn an unknown tongue, from an inftru^lor who did not
know a fingle word of any language that his fcholar was
converfant with, could not promife to produce much. But
even, when thefe difficulties were furmounted, there ftill
remained a fruitful fource of miflake. I mean, inaccuracy
in catching, exactly, the true found of a word, to which
our ears had never been accuflomed, from perfons whofe
mode of pronunciation was, in general, fo indiflindl, that it
feldom happened that any two of us, in writing down the
fivme word, from the fame mouth, made ufe of the fame
vowels, in reprefenting it. Nay, we even, very commonly,
differed about confonants, the founds of which are leaf!; lia-
ble to ambiguity. Befides all this, we found, by experience,
that we had been led into flrange corruptions of fome of the
mofl common words, either from the natives endeavouring
to imitate us, or from our having mifunderftood them.
Thus, cheeto was univerfally ufed by us, to exprefs a thief,
though totally different from the real word, in the language
of Tongataboo. The miflake arofe from a prior one, into
which we had run, when at New Zealand. For though the
word that fignifies thief there, be abfolutely the fame that
belongs to the dialedl of the Friendly Iflands (being kaeehaa
at both places), yet, by fome blunder, we had ufed the word
teete^ firfl at New Zealand, and, afterward, at Tongataboo,
on our arrival there. The natives, endeavouring to imitate
us, as nearly as they could, and fo fabricating the word
cheeto^ this, by a complication of miftakes, was adopted by
us as their own. Great care has been taken to make the
following table as correal as poffible :
Engliffi.
417
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
Englifli.
Friendly IJlands.
Otaheite,
fun-,
Elaa,
Eraa.
Fire,
Eafoi,
Eahoi.
Fbunder,
Fatoore,
Pateere.
Rain,
Ooha,
Eooa.
'The wind.
Matangee,
Mataee.
Warm,
Mafanna,
Mahanna.
The clouds.
Ao,
Eao.
Land,
Fonooa,
Fenooa.
Water,
Avy,
Evy.
Sleep, '
Mohe,
Moe.
A man.
Tangata,
Taata.
A woman.
Vefaine,
Waheine.
A young girl.
Taheine,
Toonea.
A fervant, or perfon of)
mean rank, J
Toutou, or teou.
The dawn, or day-break, Aho,
Aou.
The hair.
Fooroo,
Eroroo.
The tongue,
Elelo,
Erero.
The ear.
Tareenga,
Tareea.
The beard.
Koomoo,
Ooma.
The fea.
Tahee,
Taee.
A boat, or canoe.
Wakka,
Evaa.
Black,
Oole,
Ere.
Red,
Goola,
Oora, oora.
A lance, or /pear.
Tao,
Tao.
A parent.
Motooa,
Madooa.
What is that f
Kohaeea ?
Y ahaeea ?
T 0 hold faji.
Amou,
Mou.
To wipe, or clean
thing.
Horoee.
‘777-
July.
VOL. I.
3 H
Englifti.
I
4i8
A
VOYAGE TO
1777.
July.
Vw — y— ^
people, I fliall take my final leave of them, after giving
fome account of the aftronomical and nautical obfervations
that were made during our flay.
And, firfl, I muff take notice, that the difference of lon-
gitude, between Annamooka and Tongataboo, is fomewhat
lefs than was marked in the chart and narrative of my laft
voyage. This error might eafily arife, as the longitude of
each was then found without any connection with the
other. But, now, the diftance between them is determined
to a degree of precilion, that excludes all poffibility of
miftake ; which the following table will illuftrate :
The latitude of the obfervatory at
Tongataboo, by the mean of fe-
veral obfervations, - - - 21° S' ig" South.
The longitude, by the mean of one
hundred and thirty-one fets of
lunar obfervations, amomiting to
above a thoufand obferved dif-
tances, between the moon, fun,
and bars, - - - -184 55 18 Eaft.
The
Englifh.
To rife up.
Tes,
No,
Tou,
ly
Ten,
Friendly IJlands^ Otaheite.
Etoo,
Atoo.
Tangee,
Taee.
Eky,
Ey.
Ai,
Ai.
Kaee,
Aee.
Koe,
Oe.
Ou,
Wou.
Ongofooroo,
Ahooroo.
Having now concluded my remarks on thefe iflands and
THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
419
The difference of longitude, made
by the time-keeper, between the
above obfervatory, and that at
Annamooka, - - - 0°
Hence, the longitude of Annamo-
iff
0^^
ka is
- 18s
II
18 Eaft.
By the time- C
Greenwich rate, - 186
12
27
keeper it is, X
New Zealand rate, 184
37
0
Its latitude
- 20
15
0
»777-
July.
N. B. The obfervatory at Tongataboo was near the
middle of the North fide of the illand ; and that at Anna-
mooka, on its Weft ftde ; but the chdiL will elucidate this.
The time-keeper was too flow for mean time at Green-
wich, on the firft of July at noon, by 11!' 34”' 33', 2; and
her daily rate, at that time, was loflng, on mean time,
i%783 per day. This rate will now be ufed for finding the
longitude by the time-keeper; and 184° 55' 18''^, or 12'' 19"'
41', 2, will be taken as the true longitude of Tongataboo,
Eaft from Greenwich.
By the mean of feveral obfervations, the South end of the
needle was found to dip
C Lefooga, one of the Hapaee iflands, 36° 55'
t Tongataboo - - - 39 i|.
The variation of the compafs was found to be
At I
r Annamooka, on board.
Anchor off Kotoo, between 1
Annamooka and Hapaee, J
Anchor off Lefooga,
Tongataboo, on board,
I Ditto, on fliore,
3 H 2
- 8° 30' 3F^Eaft.
- 8 12 291
10
9
10
11 40
44 5^
12 58
I can
420
A VOYAGE TO
1777. I can affign no reafon why the variation is fo much lefs
. . at, and near, Annamooka, than at either of the other two
places. I can only fay, that there is no fault in the ob-
fervations ; and that the variation ought to be more at An-
namooka than the above, as it has been found to be fo to
the Northward, Southward, Eaftward, and Weftward of it.
But difagreements in the variation, greater than this, even
in the fame needle, have been often obferved. And I fhould
not have taken notice of this inftance, but from a belief
that the caufe, whatever it is, exifts in the place, and not
in the needles ; for Mr. Bayly found the fame, or rather
more difference.
The tides are more conliderable at thefe iflands, than at
any other of my difcoveries in this ocean, that lie within
the tropics. At Annamooka it is high water, on the
full and change days, nearly at fix o’clock ; and the tide
rifes and falls there, upon a perpendicular, about fix feet.
In the harbour of Tongataboo, it is high water, on the
full and change days, at fifty minutes paft fix. The tide
rifes and falls, on thofe days, four feet nine inches ; and
three feet fix inches at the Quadratures. In the channels
between the iflands, which lie in this harbour, it flow's near
tide and half tide ; that is, the flood continues to run up
near three hours, after it is high water by the fhore ; and
the ebb continues to run down, after it is flood by the
fhore. It is only in thefe channels, and in a few other
places near the fliores, that the motion of the water or
tide is perceiveable ; fo that I can only guefs at the quarter
from which the flood comes. In the road of Annamooka,
it fets Weft South Weft, and the ebb the contrary ; but it
falls into the harbour of Tongataboo from the North Weft,
pafles
•THE PACIFIC OCEAN,
421
paffes through the two narrow channels, on each fide of 1777
Hoolaiva, where it runs with confiderable rapidity, and .
then fpends itfelf in the lagoon. The ebb returns the fame
way, and runs with rather greater force. The North Weft
tide is met, at the entrance of the lagoon.^ by one from the
Eaft ; but this, as I have before obferved, Avas found to be
very inconfiderable.
END OF THE FIRST VOLUME.
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